Comprehensive PowerUp (OTA) Poll (1.x-2.x)

[Mirak]

2.4.2 installed today on the 7th try. Final combination was a 40 minute drive, turned off headlights, engaged parking brake, plugged in the L2 Charger and let it update at a scheduled time. Whew!

@Mirak: are you with me yet?

I got it Tuesday. I think on first try? No issues I am aware of except that it toggled off my OPD.

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[methorian]

Got 2.4.3 last night. FordPass notified me when I got home that it was scheduled to install, just like 2.4.2 last weekend. Happy to see notifications of updates and scheduling is working out well for me so far.

Unlike 2.4.2, .3 didn't 'cause my Mach-E to charge to 100% which was nice.

I got the "Final Steps to BlueCruise" e-mail back on Feb 25th, but I guess I ultimately didn't end up as one of those in the initial roll-out, but it seems they're slowly getting my Mach-E ready.

 

[timbop]

Last night I drove to 15 minutes or so to get to Lowe's. When I came out half an hour later it had the icon up top that 2.4.2 was scheduled to be installed. Maybe the driving time required depends upon the size of the update, but I would think that the electronics would stay on after "power off" if it was in the middle of a download. It then correctly installed it starting at 11PM (my scheduled update time). I did not have my car plugged in last night.

Sometimes "correlation does not mean causality". Mark is probably somewhat correct in how Ford does it, although the details are probably somewhat different - software engineers love to do things "their own way" (inventing a better algorithm is part of what drives us).

I've mentioned this before, but coordinating the activities of independent processors can be very much like herding cats, and sometimes slight differences in timing can screw up the order of operations and thus lead to an invalid result. Not to get into the details too much but I once accidentally wrote some code where I had 2 consecutive operations out of order. It only caused an issue if 2 CPUs were in that exact section of code at the same time, the chances of which were pretty minuscule (the operations only executed for a few nanoseconds). Nonetheless, under heavy network traffic it would happen once after 2 to 3 weeks. In a lab we couldn't possibly simulate that much traffic - it took real world conditions with billions of iterations before it "broke". It was an extreme case, but that is an example of what can happen and why testing is never the same thing as what happens in the wild.

 

[ChasingCoral]

1. I wish @Ford Motor Company would tell us these things. I rarely drive for that length of time recently ?

I agree with you @Jimrpa that the instructions should be clear and complete. After 2.4.2 had downloaded I had 6 failed attempts at installation.

I tried all the preconditions suggested by the message on FordPass.

I also went through many of the same combinations of things @JamieGeek described in his posts, and some ideas suggested by @Gimme_my_MME.

Not sure what the final precondition was that made it work. As indicated above, the final, working combination was a 40 minute drive, turned off headlights, engaged parking brake, plugged in the L2 Charger and let it update at a scheduled time (plus all items in the FordPass message above, of course). I don't know which one or combination of these did the trick or if it was just luck. However, there is good evidence the vehicle needs driving and 30 minutes a day during these installs was suggested by a source within Ford.

 

[ChasingCoral]

In a lab we couldn't possibly simulate that much traffic - it took real world conditions with billions of iterations before it "broke". It was an extreme case, but that is an example of what can happen and why testing is never the same thing as what happens in the wild.

And I certainly don't want my brakes to break!

 

[ChasingCoral]

A few more notes:

• The car proceeded to charge to 100% despite being programmed to charge to 80%.
• One Pedal Drive was turned off in both my profile and my wife's.
• Braking at stops and in simulated stop and go situations feels a little smoother now

 

[Nav]

Your life really does depend on something like new braking code (found in 2.4.2) actually working right. I would be quite happy to know that the car runs diagnostics to make sure it is working before switching out the working brake software for new brake software.

Yeah. That would be
?

Reminds me of Seth Myers "...and this has been, A Closer Look." - Or a way John Oliver would end his show. ?

 

[Jimrpa]

Sometimes the judgmental statements on this forum astound me.

Let me begin by saying I don't know if this example even applies. I'm no expert in automotive software. However, running an operational satellite program for NOAA, I do know a bit about implementing operational code. A VERY brief version of implementing new code goes something like this:

1. Develop new algorithm
2. Write new algorithm into a code segment
3. Insert new code segment into a copy of the operational code that is currently running
4. Upload new code to a development computer
5. Test new code on a development computer and run on a large enough dataset to be convinced it is working
6. Upload new code to operational machine
7. Test new code on operational computer and run on a large enough dataset to be convinced it is working
8. Run new code on operational computer right before or after old code (sometimes timing matters) and compare output data from new (B) and old (A) code
9. Run the two in parallel for a few days and compare output data from new and old code
10. Switch to using output from new code in operations (A-B swap)
11. Delete old code

We were very particular about the data coming out of satellite or climate model processing because lives actually could depend on it.

Now let's think about the Mach E. We know there is an A-B code swap that occurs. The driving time may be testing to make sure the code not only doesn't seize up or crash the system, but testing that the desired performance is achieved to some level.

Your life really does depend on something like new braking code (found in 2.4.2) actually working right. I would be quite happy to know that the car runs diagnostics to make sure it is working before switching out the working brake software for new brake software.

Yeah. That would be

?

Thanks - I actually know a tiny bit about A-B-A myself - from a prior life ?

I believe that I may not have been very clear in my statement - let me try again:
If your observation is correct and a car MUST be driven for a set period of time each day for a software update to be properly downloaded and installed, then that is a pretty silly design. (In fact, every spacecraft program I’ve been associated with requires the spacecraft to be in a very specific mode (and generally, many of the payloads are also placed in something akin to a “standby mode”) when code updates are being implemented. For example, performing an orbit adjustment while doing an ACS update is a “bad thing” - sort of like your example of updating braking software while driving the car ?
You posit that they may be doing some form of “comparative results execution” prior to doing an A-B-A swap to ensure that the new code produces the expected results in the actual vehicle. I really have no idea what strategy Ford is employing, but “comparative code execution” in the target would be a very expensive strategy, resource-wise. My completely uninformed guess is that there is some kind of baseline strategy or system for life-critical systems that would ensure basic steering or braking capability can never be lost. Who knows though - Ford may have taken the Airbus approach and we’re all doomed ?
My other comment was simply that, if Ford requires me to take some action, they should tell me. They told me it’s best if I set a schedule. They should also tell me if other actions are required, like driving the vehicle after an update is received. This notification could come through FordPass: “You’ve been updated! PowerUp 9.9.9 has been received. In order to complete the installation, please drive your Mustang Mach E for at least 30 minutes. Enjoy your “new” ride.”
I shouldn’t have to rely on lurking on a website forum and the anecdotal experience of other people for basic stuff ?
All said, I do appreciate everything you and others have shared - I’ve learned so much that I would otherwise never have known!

 

[Jimrpa]

So my game plan for today is to let my car sit in the driveway (clear sky view, great cell reception), with WiFi TURNED OFF in the vehicle (since others seem to be reporting getting updates over cellular successfully), then go for a 1/2 hour drive at lunch (an out-and-back, with no planned stops). If that doesn’t work, I’ll do what I always do with recalcitrant things - kick it ?

 

[Jim_I]

OK, I am a bit confused.

Are all of you that are now getting the updates EA members, and did you first have to go to your dealership to get something done there?

I am not an EA member, and have heard nothing about going to my dealer. I also am not receiving any new updates.

Just trying to understand how this is all working.

Thanks.

Jim

 

[ChasingCoral]

OK, I am a bit confused.

Are all of you that are now getting the updates EA members, and did you first have to go to your dealership to get something done there?

I am not an EA member, and have heard nothing about going to my dealer. I also am not receiving any new updates.

Just trying to understand how this is all working.

Thanks.

Jim

These are over the air (OTA, PowerUp) updates. There should be no need to go to the dealer. They are also for Job 1 vehicles (built through mid-2021)

Most of the folks getting the 2.4.x and above seem to be in the Early Access Program, those who are already in 2.5.x updates are a select group within the EAP.

Non-EAP updates should follow shortly.

 

[Gullwingdmc]

Non-EAP updates should follow shortly.

Now define “shortly” ?

 

[ChasingCoral]

A couple of hints on expediting your trip up the 2.4/5 escalator:

• Updates should be available roughly daily
• Some may require driving while others just require turning on the car for a few minutes (real start, not remote)
• If you can, use the "Update Now" option to start attempting the installs
• Be sure to have autoupdate turned on and set an update time daily
• If you drive the car for 30 minutes or so each day it should go faster

You don't have to do all of this, and certainly not daily driving to get to BlueCruise. However, these will help you get to BlueCruise faster.

 

[Gimme_my_MME]

Be sure to have autoupdate turned on and set an update time daily

Do NOT set the update time as 12am!!!!

 

[ChasingCoral]

Do NOT set the update time as 12am!!!!

Correct!

Remember that Ford recommended "setting your schedule each day Mon‍day through Fri‍day, between the hours of 8‍am and 11‍pm EST, at a time you will not need to enter or use your vehicle."

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