Comment by Crosseye_Jack | Hacker News Reader

Comment by Crosseye_Jack | Hacker News Reader

Parent Full thread

As I said in and bother comment. Downloads (signed and encrypted to prevent misuse of the contents, I guess they are someone else’s maps unless Tesla is creating their own maps).

A small piece of software could be created to “handhold” the user though the process of downloading the update file, format a usb stick and copy the update file to it. Look at the Windows 10 media creation tools as an example of preping a usb stick easily.

Once the stick is prepped and inserted into the car, the car should take over and do the rest. Just inform the user that the update is taking place and prompt them once completed that they can remove the stick (when save to do so if they are already on the move)

Have the car look for update.img in the root of the usb on insertion, validate the signature of the file, validate the file isn’t a downgrade, decrypt, install and delete the file once completed automatically.

Friends and family can also be a source of help to download the file onto a usb stick.

> A small piece of software could be created to “handhold” the user though the forces of downloading the update file, format a usb stick and copy the update file to it.

Or just make and sell a cheap device (basically a low-spec tablet dedicated to a single app) that can connect to WiFi, say in the users home, and then be taken to the car and act as a hotspot with no upstream connection and deliver the update. (You can probably make it even smaller and cheaper with no screen if you want to offload the UI to a smartphone app; at which point you can probably have it hang off a keychain.)

In the “mobile first” world we are moving to (thinking about how I see more people reaching for their tablet first over their laptop even if they even own a computer these days) I could see a “bridging cache device” like you say becoming more likely.

Hell with the size of WiFi enabled microprocessors these days (something like an esp8266 paired with enough flash to hold the updates) you could prob squeeze it right into the cars keyfob itself. Though I would want the wifi processor to be separate from the keyfobs key processor.

Edit: Wireless charging of the fob so the car keeps the fob charged. When the car detects an update is available via its lte connection it wakes up the more power hungry WiFi chip in the fob via induction or something (trying to keep the “cars keys” processor separated from the WiFi processor) and a notice on the cars dash or an push notification to the cars companion phone app notifies the user of an update. If the fob knows of a WiFi station it can listen for that beacon and then download the update. If not found after a while goes into a pairing mode for connection to a phone/tablet like you say by offloading the UI.

Would need some polish to make it user friendly but yeah... I’m liking the idea.

Wouldn't they still need to handle customer support for international customers? I see your points but I still believe that updating your car using a USB stick is too complex for average consumer.

Don't they already offer support for international customers, At Least in regions they already have a presence? Also a download doesn't have to be region locked.

> I still believe that updating your car using a USB stick is too complex for average consumer.

After the Jeep Hack Chrysler offered the update via a mailed out USB stick, A download for self update or allow a dealership mechanic to do it for you.

If an update just needs an USB insert to apply and if you can't prep it yourself, can't get a friend/family member/work colleague to assist, not have the ability to download it via wifi than a trip to a dealership or a local mechanic to do it for you can't really be out of the question.

As the OP post was about map updates, if the car is no longer in a region the company has a presence I wouldn't find it unreasonable if the company charge for the cost of the stick and postage. A "recall update" such like with the jeep issue I would expect the company to foot the bill of the extra postage (as they would be on the hook for the cost of shipping out the stick from and to the original country of purchase anyway).

Reply on news.ycombinator.com