Why does it take so long to update software.

[Rt1AWD]

I've made an appointment with a dealership to do some software update. They said it will take the whole day. When I called in the evening they said that they haven't finished it yet and they need to leave the car overnight............

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[mikeinet]

Someone isn’t sitting babysitting the car all day to click next next next

 

[HuntingPudel]

It kind of depends on the updates that your car needed. There are several small updates that we did to my car. They didn’t take more than 10 minutes each. The larger updates can take a looooonnnng time. I suppose that BlueCruise updates might take a long time, given code and map data.

 

[MBCook]

I’m not sure this is true, it’s just something I saw someone else post on the forum.

A big part of the update process is applying lots of different updates. After applying each update something has to sync with Ford servers. I get the feeling that’s the car and not FDRS.

It sounds like it’s important to let that happen because otherwise the software won’t give them the correct list of what modules to update next. It may say all modules are done when they’re not.

So depending on how fast that sync process is and how many modules actually need updating in the first place you can take a little while or a very long time.

again, that’s basically a rumor, but it makes sense to me at least. It sure makes a lot more sense than the idea that it might take two hours to upload software onto one module because it’s just that slow.

 

[Rt1AWD]

what are modules? Why is it a thing?

 

[Jonno21]

what are modules? Why is it a thing?

There are different electronic modules which work together to control the cars various functions. The Mach e happens to have a lot of them. All cars have modules (even fossil cars).

 

[generaltso]

again, that’s basically a rumor, but it makes sense to me at least. It sure makes a lot more sense than the idea that it might take two hours to upload software onto one module because it’s just that slow.

The laptop communicating to the Ford servers to update the database only takes seconds. Applying big updates over the OBDII port really is just that slow. That’s why FDRS switches to USB for the modules that support it, but some don’t (like the IPMA).

 

[Rt1AWD]

What are those 'modules'? Microcomputers. contrillers?

 

[Logal727]

This must have been what it was like explaining Model T to horse riders

 

[HuntingPudel]

There are different electronic modules which work together to control the cars various functions. The Mach e happens to have a lot of them. All cars have modules (even fossil cars).

I would add that all modern cars have them. Prior to unitized ignition, cars had points and everything else was analog. Not sure when Ford started using unitized ignition but it was optional on some GM cars in 1972

 

[HuntingPudel]

What are those 'modules'? Microcomputers. contrillers?

They control one or more aspect of the car. In my previous comment, the unitized ignition utilized an ignition control module. After that, cars starter getting electronically-controlled carburetors, then Engine Control Modules. Our MMEs have modules that control pretty much everything. One is called the Body Control Module, another the Battery Energy Control Module. There are a large number of other modules, including one that helps the modules communicate with each other and with Ford.

 

[SnBGC]

They control one or more aspect of the car. In my previous comment, the unitized ignition utilized an ignition control module. After that, cars starter getting electronically-controlled carburetors, then Engine Control Modules. Our MMEs have modules that control pretty much everything. One is called the Body Control Module, another the Battery Energy Control Module. There are a large number of other modules, including one that helps the modules communicate with each other and with Ford.

that is a nice way to put it. In my car, the gateway is more like an arbitrator because the other modules don't play well together. Work in progress...

 

[HuntingPudel]

that is a nice way to put it. In my car, the gateway is more like an arbitrator because the other modules don't play well together. Work in progress...

Think of your car as a recalcitrant child. Eventually it will be trained how to behave in polite society. There is no hope for me, since I am a canine.

 

[SnBGC]

Think of your car as a recalcitrant child. Eventually it will be trained how to behave in polite society. There is no hope for me, since I am a canine.

100%
Last night my car charged per the schedule all by itself! We are so proud of our baby. They grow up so fast....

 

[Rt1AWD]

They control one or more aspect of the car. In my previous comment, the unitized ignition utilized an ignition control module. After that, cars starter getting electronically-controlled carburetors, then Engine Control Modules. Our MMEs have modules that control pretty much everything. One is called the Body Control Module, another the Battery Energy Control Module. There are a large number of other modules, including one that helps the modules communicate with each other and with Ford.

Why each module requires individual soft upload? Why all of them are not hooked up by a single central bus so all the updates can be received centralized way and uploaded to all the modules simultaneously

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