Today, Tesla becomes the first car manufacturer in Israel to be able to remotely troubleshoot software updates
Photo: Roi Caspi
Since Tesla entered Israel last year, it has been able to present quite a few innovations in the Israeli car market: from a purchase process that takes place without negotiating carpets and windshields with sales representatives in glittering and seductive showrooms; Features that come with a remote update; Ability to play games in the parking lot; Users tracking ships in the middle of the sea, and even Israeli quarrels in the middle of charging stations. Today (Wednesday), Israeli drivers are expected to meet another innovation: a recall – but not one we are used to.
No need to get to the garage
Recently, all Model 3 owners in Israel who have been manufactured since the beginning of 2022 have been notified of a recall (“call for repair”) following a “defect discovered in the central processing unit of the vehicle computer, which could impair the vehicle’s function.” According to the announcement, the defect may appear in time or in preparation for a quick charge of the vehicle and it may lead to the multimedia screen not cooling down and reaching too high temperatures, which may cause the system to slow down or boot. Since in Tesla almost all standard vehicle operations are performed using this main screen, drivers may be left without access to cameras, visibility control, driving mode display and also without collision alerts.
At Tesla, the defect is defined as a “serial safety fault,” which means that according to the Ministry of Transportation’s instructions, users have 6 months to repair the defect, otherwise they will not be able to renew the vehicle license or sell it. On the face of it, a slightly scary message – but then comes the twist.
Unlike many other recalls that have happened in Israel over the years, Tesla’s recall will be done completely remotely. All users have to do is update the firmware version of their vehicle Over The Air, and the problem will be fixed remotely. That is, for the first time in Israel, a complete recall will be performed remotely without the users having to go to garages and disable the vehicle. Only if necessary can customers coordinate care in Tesla’s garage, and we can only assume that these are cases of drivers who are unable to update their vehicle or that the malfunction has already affected their vehicle screen.
The fix has already arrived in software versions 2022.11.101.1, 2022.12.3.3 and above, so if your vehicle is up to date, you are already fixed. But if you have been trying to delay your vehicle update as much as possible so that you do not block the detours to the Sentry mode, it is time to say goodbye to it.
Instead of Boarding the Lift: Software Updates
Unlike the old world of gasoline vehicles and even electric vehicles from traditional manufacturers, Tesla vehicles are a kind of motorized gadget, so just as your iPhone or Android can one day get a software update that allows it to do things it has not done before, so does Tesla. In the update from the end of 2020, for example, customers were given the ability to make the vehicle “entertainment”, replace the car noises with slow travel, replace horn noises and also much more useful options such as Summon mode that brings the vehicle from the parking lot to you autonomously. Except that apart from new and cool features and gimmicks, the fact that Tesla supports remote updates also allows it to solve a huge part of its faults remotely and the real justification for its existence comes today with this very unconventional recall message. According to Tesla data, about 90% of Tesla users’ inquiries are able to be resolved remotely, thanks to the fact that service centers are able to connect directly to the vehicle remotely and send updates as needed.
According to data from the Ministry of Transportation’s database, about 140 Tesla vehicles meet the recall requirements, which as mentioned currently only apply to Model 3 manufactured since the beginning of the year. Interestingly, Tesla vehicles can receive their software and firmware updates even before delivery to the end customer, so it is likely that customers who have ordered their vehicle and are about to receive it in the coming days and months, will receive it when the fault has been updated. Customers who want to check if their vehicle is affected by the recall can enter their vehicle number on Tesla’s official website.
A good old age
Born with a joystick in hand. He has far too many gadgets and far too little free time to play with them all. An unexplained hammer holder for calibrating device batteries. When he’s not busy writing about technology, he likes to talk about it, and a lot
