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Car companies are in a billion-dollar software war

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Re: Car companies are in a billion-dollar software war

#171

Post by davidmurdoch »

Hobadee wrote: post #102

I've long wondered why no car manufacturer has gone for an open source model. Certain things should absolutely be locked down (for example, the airbags and other critical safety features) but there is absolutely no reason the HVAC and Infotainment system need to be closed source. Open it up and let hackers go crazy, then just "borrow" the best options out there for next year's model and everyone wins!

Related plea from someone how hacked their Hyundai's head unit: https://programmingwithstyle.com/posts/howihackedmycarpart5/...

And past HN discussion https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32447650

Re: Car companies are in a billion-dollar software war

#172

Post by elcritch »

mulmen wrote: post #110
KerrAvon wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is what the Slate truck is promising. I won’t buy it without CarPlay, personally, but you can put your money where your mouth is, supposedly.

The Slate truck won’t have CarPlay because it won’t have infotainment at all. If you want Carplay buy one of the dozens of offerings from companies like Alpine and have it installed at one of the thousands of stereo shops across the country. You’ll get exactly what you want from experts in what you want.

Or 3d print a mount for my old iPad and not need CarPlay at all.

Re: Car companies are in a billion-dollar software war

#173

Post by XorNot »

mousethatroared wrote: post #145
rad_gruchalski wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not a tracker. It activates during an accident, or via manual action. Hopefully those same people know what ANPR is and how does it affect them.

Of course it is. We're just told differently until a leaker proves differently. Twenty years too late to do anything about it

And naturally of course you don't carry a cellphone with you while you drive...you know, that device with accelerometers, GPS and an LTE chip that you leave powered on all the time on your person?

Re: Car companies are in a billion-dollar software war

#174

Post by sweeter »

smartmic wrote: post #30

So I have serious thoughts about driving “software defined vehicles” in the future. I mean, and the article has confirmed this sufficiently, the core competence of the established car manufacturers is not software. I don't trust the newcomers like Tesla or the Chinese manufacturers for the time being. In my opinion, the same standards should apply to software in motor vehicles as in the aviation industry. And there c…

I'd trust BYD more than Tesla but I don't want to have to trust anyone. I drove a 20 year old Honda still to this day, but literally every new car has software in it and it won't be an option in the future. It's just too profitable to gather the data that they generate. It's a privacy nightmare. I'm still appalled that Tesla got caught pulling footage of people having sex in their own vehicles, but the legal world has no intention of doing anything about it.

Re: Car companies are in a billion-dollar software war

#175

Post by timewizard »

ericmay wrote: post #155
phyzix5761 wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Physical buttons are a huge need. Its so distracting navigating through screens to change the temperature while driving.

That’s interesting - what vehicles require you to do that? I know the usual suspect is the Tesla, which I have, but I never have to navigate through menus to change the temperature while driving. As an aside a lot of people like to levy criticism on the infotainment screens which I think is very well deserved, but then people text and drive, watch YouTube videos, and do all sorts of crazy things too. Instead of levyi…

Ford SYNC.

https://pictures.dealer.com/s/surprisefordvtg/0292/10a2adba8...

It's like a window into hell.

Re: Car companies are in a billion-dollar software war

#176

Post by bjelkeman-again »

XorNot wrote: post #167
Tsiklon wrote: post #159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

All depends on how they market it. Wind down windows to me today is an aesthetic statement - “we are selling a cheap, no frills vehicle - look see! Even wind down windows” Such positioning could be what the intended customer base react well to.

Which turns it into more uselessness for marketing rather then practicality. For example, mechanical window winders would need a whole extra disengagement or locking mechanism for child proofing.

But that car isn’t intended for customers transporting kids. Two seats.

Re: Car companies are in a billion-dollar software war

#177

Post by arakageeta »

These companies fail because vertical integration, and even a monorepo, is needed to make these efforts successful. This is completely at odds with the existing OEM/Tier 1 business model and engineering process grown up around it. Also, neither OEM nor Tier 1 have software cultures up to the challenge.

This is why the Chinese OEMs, Tesla, and Rivian are able to move fast.

Re: Car companies are in a billion-dollar software war

#178

Post by timewizard »

rad_gruchalski wrote: post #137
kortilla wrote: post #134

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some people don’t like built in trackers

It's not a tracker. It activates during an accident, or via manual action. Hopefully those same people know what ANPR is and how does it affect them.

I can actually remove my number plate. One tool, five minutes, car still drives.

And of course it's a tracker. It reports my location to a third party. There is no other definition for it. That it purportedly only does this during an "emergency" is not something I can verify nor trust.

Re: Car companies are in a billion-dollar software war

#179

Post by timewizard »

HPsquared wrote: post #58
smartmic wrote: post #30

So I have serious thoughts about driving “software defined vehicles” in the future. I mean, and the article has confirmed this sufficiently, the core competence of the established car manufacturers is not software. I don't trust the newcomers like Tesla or the Chinese manufacturers for the time being. In my opinion, the same standards should apply to software in motor vehicles as in the aviation industry. And there c…

There are safety standards for automobile software: ISO 26262. Software for steering or braking systems is of high quality. It's not the same team that does the infotainment.

> ISO 26262.

That is a piece of paper.

> Software for steering or braking systems is of high quality.

There's literally no way for me to know that before I trust my life with it.

Re: Car companies are in a billion-dollar software war

#180

Post by giantg2 »

lttlrck wrote: post #131
kylehotchkiss wrote: post #48

Remove the LTE chip and all functionality related to ads, support wireless CarPlay and android auto, and use physical buttons. You’ll win every award in the industry.

Slate have done this and it's really quite compelling. You even get window winders. https://www.slate.auto/en/personalization

It'd be great if they make an engine swap package for existing trucks with optional battery sizes.
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