I was pondering the possible advantages of internal combustion engine vehicles compared to EVs. Some folks like to purchase a sports car and modify the engine to put out more torque. When it comes to EVs, there is a different skill set. Sometimes, change comes by an automatic update.

Automakers want to put out EVs that are robust and low maintenance. Sometimes, there are opportunities to offer something different. Take Tesla’s AI/ autonomous driving research for example. The current limited autopilot is a service customers pay extra for. Added convenience and features cost extra. If equipped with the computer, you can subscribe to the service.

There are two gripes on my mind about Software. Recently, I became aware of an egregious thing that happened to a Porsche owner (The MacMaster on YouTube). After an update, his Taycan comfort handle lift stopped working. The folks at the dealership explained that this was an upgrade he never paid for and the update defaulted him to the non-paid status. This bothers me, because the company is withholding features that could so easily be included with the hardware he already has. His local dealer was understanding of the dilemma and offered to reduce the cost.

Another incident is a Tesla owner whose car came equipped with self-driving features. There was a delayed delivery and service for his vehicle, so he experiences down time from actually using the monthly paid service. However, this owner was forced to pay for a service he wasn’t using. Customer service said they did not have a way to refund the money in their system. It seems that this is perhaps a growing pains issue for Tesla. Still, the warm and fuzzy feelings I have for the automaker evaporate when it seems that they do not have the customer’s best interest in mind.

One company still gives me hope when it comes to good faith in EVs. Thats Aptera. They promise to release service manuals on a car that is already free energy from the sun. I understand they too will have software updates. It may be too early to speculate on what the customer experience will be like. With all of the R and D put into the vehicle over the years, it should be a spectacular feat of engineering.

Cloud services are not something I am fond of. I only purchase it when absolutely necessary. In light of security and enhancement, over the air updates seem to be a standard in EVs that is not going away. Perhaps a use case will come where security will demand a vehicle computer that does not access the internet.

There you have it. The joys of EV ownership seem to involve a continued entanglement with the dealer. At least we don’t have to perform the updates ourselves. Right?