Current Implementations of Over-the-Air Updates

Over-the-air (OTA) updates have become a significant aspect of the future development of connected vehicles. OEMs can address safety and security concerns, as well as provide a better customer experience, by delivering software improvements to vehicles faster and without requiring a visit to a service center. OTA updates will enable OEMs to address security, safety, and performance concerns much faster, at a lower cost, and allow delivery of updates in a manner more convenient to vehicle owners. From a cybersecurity perspective, this is important, as the number of security vulnerabilities in vehicles continues to grow (Sibros, 2022). Additionally, recalls are increasingly being addressed by software updates, potentially resolving recall issues faster. From March 2022–March 2023, 8.5 million vehicle units were recalled due to software-based or electrical components (Sibros, 2022; Vehicle Recalls, 2023). Advanced driver assistance systems and automated driving systems are continually being developed and improved. OTA updates are an enabling technology that allows improvements to these technologies to be realized on vehicles at a much more rapid pace than in the past. The objective of this report is to understand the capabilities, challenges, and characteristics of implementations of OTA updates in vehicles. This report summarizes and details key findings of OTA updates in current vehicles and focuses on the potential challenges in adopting this new advancement in technology.