software
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Even though the Tesla Model S has retained its same basic shape since it went on sale in 2012, what's going on under the hood has been anything but stagnant. The automaker's over-the-air updates for the electric car have put the old guard on notice: People expect their cars to act like the computers and phones sitting on their desks and in their pockets. That means updates and new features—constantly. Mostly, Tesla has done that. With the major exception of a hardware changeover in early 2017, Tesla owners have had new features unlocked or refined, new interfaces implemented, and safety...
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Tesla reverses recent limit on lifetime full-speed launches (updated)
Tesla uses over-the-air software updates to quickly add new features to its electric cars, or to correct problems without the need for customers to bring their cars to service centers. But one apparent software update rankled more than a few Tesla owners: it limits the number of times Launch Mode...
Stephen Edelstein -
Tesla to roll out Autopilot self-driving capabilities 'very soon'
Tesla launch a software update to add Autopilot functions next month, according to Elon Musk.
Stephen Edelstein -
Tesla electric-car software version 8.0: what's new, what's improved
The Tesla version 8.0 software update is headlined by changes to the Autopilot driver-assist system.
Stephen Edelstein -
Tesla Model X door-control software to be updated, Musk says
Given Elon Musk's habit of revealing snippets of information when he talks, electric-car advocates, owners, and industry analysts pore over any live event at which the Tesla Motors CEO presents. On June 1, the Silicon Valley carmaker held its annual shareholder meeting, which clocked in at a...
John Voelcker -
VW: Small Group Of Engineers Built Diesel Cheat Software From 2005
Volkswagen says a small group of employees were responsible for the "defeat device" software.
Stephen Edelstein -
In three tweets late Thursday, Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said he’s on the lookout for “hardcore software engineers” to “achieve generalized full autonomy” for his line of electric cars. The latest addition to that lineup was the Model X unveiled at the end of September — around the same time that Musk told one publication, “If you don’t make it at Tesla, you go work at Apple.” Musk has made clear for a while that there will be a software switch he magically turns on that will release an update to existing vehicles, endowing them with...
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Carmakers Lobby To Keep Software Secret, Despite VW Emission Scandal
Carmakers want to cut off public access to their software, potentially hampering important independent research.
Stephen Edelstein -
Honda Accord Hybrids Recalled For Software Fix
Honda Accord Hybrid sedans are recalled to address a software issue.
Stephen Edelstein -
Fisker Karma Owners Can 'Code' Their Cars To Add Features Too
Fisker owners can change the way their cars operate.
Stephen Edelstein -
BMW i3 REx Electric Car: 'Coding' Unlocks Features Owners Want (And May Void Warranty)
The BMW i3 REx model is an unusual beast, the sole example to date of a car built specifically to comply with California regulations that define it as a zero-emission electric car even though it has a range-extending engine. That's because its gasoline range (EPA-rated at 78 miles) is more or less...
John Voelcker -
Tesla CTO Hikes Hacking Bounty To $10K (And Does A Shot)
Tesla CTO JB Straubel appeared at the Def Con hacker convention to thank researchers that exposed vulnerabilities in the Model S.
Stephen Edelstein -
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has come under intense public scrutiny after a pair of hackers took control of a Jeep Cherokee remotely through its Uconnect infotainment system and disabled certain features, including its brakes and transmission. Publicity around that vulnerability quickly led the company to recall 1.4 million vehicles for a fix, under strong pressure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Now, it's Tesla's turn. DON'T MISS: FCA Recalls 1.4 Million Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram Vehicles Over Hacking Concerns According to a report in Britain's Financial Times...
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Recall: 2012-2014 Toyota Prius V Software Update To Cure Stalling
The Toyota Prius V is recalled for the second time this year.
Stephen Edelstein -
Life With Tesla Model S: Valet Mode Hides Away All The Fun
As arguably the coolest, most cutting-edge car in the world, the Tesla Model S electric car attracts a lot of curiosity and envy from other drivers. What self-respecting car guy—or gal—wouldn’t love to take a Tesla out for a quick spin around the block, just to sample its...
David Noland -
Tesla Website, Twitter Account, Musk Twitter Briefly Hacked
Electric-car maker Tesla sits in the heart of Silicon Valley, a place where software security is--or should be--a constant focus of attention. Still, corporate websites present a juicy and visible target for hackers worldwide. For a brief period Saturday afternoon, hackers appear to have taken over...
John Voelcker -
Third Recall For Fiat 500e: 5,600 Electric Cars To Be Checked For Software Fault
Roughly 5,600 Fiat 500e electric cars will be recalled by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to fix a potential software problem with the cars' Limp Home mode. In a notice issued Saturday, the company said that, "incompatible software between Electric Vehicle Control Unit and Battery Pack Control Module may...
John Voelcker -
Life With 2013 Tesla Model S: How A Software Update Worked
One of the many cutting-edge features of my new 2013 Tesla Model S is the ability to download software updates over its cellular connection. With its touch-screen controls and electronic motor and battery systems, the Model S all-electric sport sedan is almost certainly the most highly computerized...
David Noland -
Every driver of a plug-in hybrid electric car eventually wants to drive more on electricity and less on gasoline. So it's frustrating when the battery charge indicator shows a reasonable level of charge, you're only a few hundred feet from home, and yet the engine kicks on because of that one steep hill. Wouldn't it be nice if the car could "know" that it was close to its destination, where it would be recharged? That's exactly what Ford has built into its new 2013 Ford C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid hatchback. (It'll also most likely appear on the upcoming 2013 Ford Fusion Energi as well.) The...
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Open-Source Electric Cars? Umm, No, NOT A Good Idea
In the world of software, open source is officially A Good Thing. It enables a far greater creative and technological base to tweak and change a piece of software than might be possible from within the company that created it. Many are keen on the concept of open source electric cars--that is...
Antony Ingram -
Mac Vs PC Becomes Mac Vs Chevy As Volt, iPhone Won’t Talk
Are you a Mac user or a PC user? There was a time when that question would spawn pages of flame wars on blogs and computer newsgroups, and perhaps even devoted fan pages on Geocities. Despite adverts from both Microsoft and Apple to suggest both platforms are still sworn enemies, Macs and PCs...
Nikki Gordon-Bloomfield -
2011 Nissan Leaf Software Update: Easy, But Slow (4 Hours?)
Nissan's new electric car, the 2011 Leaf, is rolling out slowly. Recently, it came to light that early-delivery vehicles are failing to start after the air conditioning has been used under certain circumstances. Nissan has developed a software update to fix the problem, and will install it in all...
George Parrott -
BMW's Newest, Greenest Concept: Vision EfficientDynamics
BMW's legendary M series performance cars use big, brawny, turbocharged gasoline engines. The 2009 BMW M5, for example, has a 500-horsepower, 5.0-liter V-10. How many cylinders ??? Where ??? But the concept car BMW will unveil in two weeks at the Frankfurt Motor Show promises "the performance of an...
John Voelcker