Car companies have an infuriating software problem

Managing smooth updates becoming ever more important with spread of EVs and more sophisticated systems.

- Brooke Masters

In December, my car went into the shop for its third software-related recall in six months. Once again the friendly guys at the dealership were unable to install the necessary update on their own. Instead, our now-undriveable sport utility vehicle sat on their lot, awaiting its turn with experts at BMW headquarters. The queue took four days.

That delay was both painful and pointless. Automakers learnt long ago to have the necessary parts and labour on hand before calling in a vehicle for a physical recall. Surely a company that claims to have nine million fully upgradeable cars on the road can set up an equivalent process for software.

Managing such updates is only going to grow more important with the spread of electric vehicles (EVs) and increasingly sophisticated digital information and safety systems in petrol-driven cars.

Software fixes made up 15 per cent of US recalls in 2024, up from 6 per cent five years ago, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data.

BMW's three US software recalls in 2024 put it ahead of many rivals, NHTSA records show. Ford had the most overall with 19, followed closely by Chrysler. Tesla had the highest share with 50 per cent of its 16 recalls requiring a software fix.

That is not surprising given that EVs rely far more on software and have fewer parts than internal combustion engines.