Over-the-air (OTA) software program updates for autos are the long run, and so they permit autos to maintain getting higher over time.
However generally they get far worse—even inoperable, as a latest replace pushed out to Rivian’s R1T and R1S launched code that crippled regular use of the autos.
Earlier this week Rivian software program replace 2023.42.0 basically “bricked” the EVs’ infotainment system, stopping quite a few capabilities.
The autos had been nonetheless basically drivable, albeit with asterisks. After the replace, the infotainment techniques of affected autos had been utterly clean/darkish, and a few info within the gauge cluster was additionally affected.
2023 Rivian R1S
Rivian famous to Inexperienced Automotive Stories that it has compartmentalized safety-critical techniques, an method that allowed affected autos to maintain working.
“Normally, the remainder of the car techniques and the cell app will stay useful,” defined Wassym Bensaid, Rivian’s senior VP of software program improvement.
Rivian emailed prospects on Tuesday night time with subsequent steps, and on Wednesday it launched its answer that fixes the difficulty remotely.
In accordance with Rivian, it ready an OTA treatment for deployment in simply 36 hours. As of Wednesday, prospects affected by the difficulty ought to have the opportunity, by way of the Rivian app on their smartphones, to put in software program that rolls again the issue code. These not utilizing the Rivian app can contact the Rivian Assist Middle and provoke the set up remotely.
The problematic code, a part of an incorrect software program construct, affected round 3% of consumers. The quantity was restricted as a result of inside 90 minutes Rivian recognized the difficulty and halted the software program’s rollout.
2023 Rivian R1S
The incident serves as a lesson for the auto business because it turns into more and more centered on OTA updates and the potential for making OTA function upgrades a income driver. Rivian has taken benefit of the vast latitude afforded by software program. Final December, it added an enhanced cold-weather toolkit, together with cabin preconditioning, a snow mode, and smarter energy administration. Extra lately, it rolled out an replace for the R1T and R1S that improved these vehicles’ experience and dealing with attributes, and, in a distinct replace, launched a “reimagined towing expertise,” together with all-terrain towing.
Earlier within the week, Bensaid posted on the difficulty on Reddit, blaming a “fats finger the place the flawed construct with the flawed safety certificates was despatched out.”
2022 Rivian R1T
“From right here, we’re deeply evaluating our course of and high quality checks to forestall this from occurring once more,” mentioned Bensaid.
Rivian acknowledged that the difficulty may want bodily restore in some circumstances.
Clients nonetheless affected by the difficulty are inspired to achieve out to Rivian’s service workforce at 855-748-4265.