Can you update whenever you want? Upgrade becomes downgrade? There are many chaotic issues in car OTA recalls, and regulators are taking action
2024-08-13
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Chao News Client Reporter Fan Guofei
"I've seen some Tesla models with front trunks suddenly opening, causing accidents. This time they're finally going to be recalled." After seeing Tesla's recall plan, Chen Gang (pseudonym) immediately posted on his Moments.
Unlike traditional cars that have to be driven to 4S stores for upgrades, most of the current smart connected cars only need to be upgraded online through OTA (over-the-air download technology). Car owners can complete it independently while connected to the Internet, and do not need to spend a lot of time and energy.
Although OTA has been widely used, there are still many problems in its specific implementation. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently solicited public opinions to strengthen the specific management measures for OTA access, upgrades and recalls.
Tesla and other large-scale OTA recalls
On August 6, the official website of the State Administration for Market Regulation announced that Tesla Motors (Beijing) Co., Ltd. and Tesla (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. have filed a recall plan with the State Administration for Market Regulation. From now on, some imported Model S, Model X and domestically produced Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles with production dates between October 15, 2020 and July 17, 2024 will be recalled, totaling 1.684 million vehicles.
It is understood that for some vehicles within the scope of this Tesla recall, after the front trunk lid is unlocked, the front trunk latch assembly system may not be able to detect that the front trunk is unlocked, and the vehicle cannot issue a "front trunk is not locked" prompt. In extreme cases, the front trunk lid may be opened while the vehicle is driving, affecting the driver's field of vision, increasing the risk of vehicle collision, and posing a safety hazard. In response, Tesla will use OTA technology to upgrade the software of the vehicles within the recall scope for free to solve the existing problem.
Two days after Tesla issued the recall information, Chen Gang received an OTA prompt in the car system. After parking the car, he followed the prompts and completed it in less than half an hour.
Chao News reporter checked Tesla's official website and found that Tesla has conducted several large-scale recalls in recent years, most of which were completed through OTA. For example, in May 2023, Tesla recalled more than 1.1 million vehicles and improved the energy recovery braking function through OTA, making the forced single-pedal mode a thing of the past, reducing the risk of users accidentally stepping on the accelerator pedal.
At present, many car companies are recalling vehicles through OTA. In the past month, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Ford, Peugeot Citroen and other car companies have released OTA recall information. According to data released by the State Administration for Market Regulation, in 2023, my country's automobiles implemented 6 OTA recalls, involving 1.173 million vehicles. In the first half of 2024 alone, more than 1.75 million new energy vehicles used OTA recalls.
Some car companies abuse OTA upgrades.Regulatory intervention
OTA recalls have changed the lengthy recall process of traditional cars and improved the user experience of car owners. However, some car companies do not file recalls and secretly perform OTA upgrades without the knowledge of users.
In February 2023, Tang Long (pseudonym) bought a plug-in hybrid vehicle and drove it in pure electric mode most of the time.
After using it for half a year, Tang Long's car underwent an OTA upgrade without his knowledge. Later, he found that in pure electric mode, the engine started frequently without any prompts. After checking through the mobile phone software, he found that when the temperature was low, the engine would automatically start four or five times a week, consuming five or six kilometers each time. When the weather got hot, the engine started less frequently, only once or twice a week. "This upgrade has increased oil and maintenance costs for no reason, but there is no other way to solve it." Tang Long said helplessly.
Previously, many new energy vehicle companies secretly modified battery voltage parameters or "locked" battery output power in the name of OTA upgrades to prevent vehicle fires. However, after OTA, car owners found that the vehicle's range was significantly reduced.
After the car owners united and sent a lawyer's letter to the car company, the OTA of the vehicle background began to automatically upgrade four or five times. Although the charging voltage display returned to normal, the range was still reduced. In the eyes of the car owners, the car company arbitrarily upgraded the vehicle through OTA, but the vehicle performance was getting worse and worse, and they had no way to deal with it.
"Although we encourage companies to implement recalls through OTA, they cannot use OTA to evade recalls or replace recalls." Xiao Lingyun, director of the Automobile Department of the Defective Product Management Center of the State Administration for Market Regulation, once expressed such concerns.
This situation is expected to change. Recently, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology publicly solicited opinions on the "Notice on Further Strengthening the Management of Access, Recall and Online Software Upgrade of Intelligent Connected Vehicles (Draft for Comments)", which clearly pointed out that before enterprises implement OTA upgrade activities, they should ensure that automobile products comply with relevant requirements such as national laws and regulations, technical standards and technical specifications, and file with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Administration for Market Regulation in accordance with relevant requirements. The filing content includes the company's management capabilities, vehicle models and functions, specific upgrade activities and relevant supporting materials. At the same time, if OTA upgrades are used to eliminate defects in automobile products and recalls are implemented, a recall plan should be formulated in accordance with the "Implementation Measures for the Recall Management Regulations for Defective Automobile Products" and filed with the State Administration for Market Regulation in a timely manner.
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