You can tell that modern cars are actually computers on wheels by the constant beeping and what used to be called the dashboard has mutated into huge screens. On the other hand, do-it-yourselfers can only do little on the vehicles. For almost anything and everything, a computer must first be plugged into the diagnostic slot. He then tells you where it is missing. And because computers need software, the owners of the four-wheeled versions are not spared one of the seven plagues of the chip age: updates.
That doesn’t have to be a disadvantage. Because it’s no longer just about the latest data for the navigation system. Cars also learn completely new tricks with software updates. With the BMW i4, for example, you can then play a bit of James Bond. Pierce Brosnan drove his car – also a BMW, by the way – with a smartphone-like device in “Tomorrow Never Dies”. If a parking space is too narrow, you get out beforehand and let the car park on its own, forwards or backwards. Art lovers can also enjoy artworks on the car’s screens. They can also be updated so that it doesn’t get boring.
However, driving to the workshop every time would be quite time-consuming. And it is no longer necessary, because the Neudeutsch has been around for a long time Over the air mentioned updates. This works, for example, via the SIM card integrated in the vehicle, i.e. via mobile communications.
Apparently, but not always. A BMW driver in the USA wanted to have her car software updated via said air interface. But the car refused, and with a rather curious justification: “The road is too steep to start the installation,” read the screen, “please park on a level surface to continue.” Whether the car also beeped is likely, but not known.
But the more important question is why this strange error message occurs. According to BMW, this is to be secured if an update also includes the brief release and re-engagement of the brake. And one thing is clear anyway: an update while driving is definitely not a good idea.