Infotainment Wars Heat Up

Chryslers Uconnect system as been doing this for several years and its OEM and does not sell your information for profit.

I've been thinking about the big challenges here. They're somewhat similar to the challenges the Pentagon faces with military hardware & software being instantly obsolete once fielded.

The problem with OEM solutions is that it's not the carmaker's core skillset. Also, cars have a much longer lead time than pocket computers, both in design and update. (Is there a car that routinely has its electronics updated, ever?)

The typical smartphone maker's approach is to force an update of pocket hardware about once every two years. (Apple is becoming notorious for this, they plug more demands into each iOS release.) That's going to have to change if they want legs in this market, since lots of people don't buy new cars that often.

Perhaps automakers should put more general-purpose computers into their cars, allowing updates to firmware and hardware. But probably the most effective approach is to let the car owner bring the CPU, and have the car simply provide peripherals.

Very true, and this is what Tesla has gone to. That makes sense since it is an electric car and you don't have the engine control issues to address. With fly by wire steering, brakes and transmissions becoming standard anyway, that would seem to my mind the right direction.

Still

Hard to wrap the mind around your car getting updates? LoL