Software’s place in a mechanical world

[Doubeleive]

Generally speaking, when you have a company that controls the hardware and the software, both tend to work very well together. Apple controls, both hardware, Manufacturing and the software coding and both are designed to work together from the beginning. That's why I say Apple is a good example.

this is true but now we have the government and peoples right to repair and insurance company's, used car dealers, aftermarket company's and whoever else sticking there hand out for access

 

[Woned2004]

Just saw this interview with Jim Farley (Ford CEO), and he makes some very telling comments about modern cars, and in particular, EVs. Paging Ms Mary, are you listening?

He admits what we’ve all suspected for a long time: they’re not software companies, but they better become one and not treat it like an afterthought. It also explains a lot of the issues we’re seeing with OTA updates.

I’ve linked to the relevant part in the interview:

On top of technology, managing the team effectively is becoming just as important as the product itself. For EV startups, especially, finding ways to integrate hr solutions can help keep employee performance, onboarding, and communication streamlined while scaling rapidly.

I think that's been one of the biggest wake-up calls for the traditional automakers. Building great engines, transmissions, and chassis doesn't automatically translate into building great software.

A lot of the complaints people have about modern vehicles aren't actually about the hardware anymore. They're about buggy infotainment systems, unreliable apps, OTA updates that introduce new problems, or features that don't work consistently. Those are software company problems.

What's interesting is that companies like Ford are trying to make the transition while still carrying all the complexity of being a century-old manufacturer. That's a very different challenge from a company that started with a software-first mindset.

Farley's comments at least suggest they're aware of the problem. Admitting it is one thing, though. Building an organization that can reliably ship and maintain software at scale is another. That's probably going to take years, not quarters.

UPDATE: I watched a similar video from the CEO of Volkswagen, and it was interesting. Let me know, I can share.

 

[BlackHC2025]

New OTA "upgrades" sometimes have functionality/non functionality surprises, so there's that. :facepalm

I had some mid-2000 cars, I was amazed at how integrated/invasive the 2020+ models were with software and screens. I was in IT for over 40 years, guess I prefer my cars as mechanical devices with what I know about software, unfortunately, but I also realize I'm not in the target demographic for car company sales.