Mercedes Can Now Update Car Software Remotely

MatthewVD writes "Our cars run millions of lines of code that need constant and, often, critical updates. Jim Motavalli writes that Mercedes-Benz's new mbrace2 'cloud infotainment system' has a secret capability: it can update software automatically and wirelessly. In a process called 'reflashing,' the Mercedes system turns on the car operating system (CU), downloads the new application, then cuts itself off. With companies like Fisker paying dearly for constant recalls for software problems, automakers will likely rush to embrace this technology. No more USBs in the dashboard!"

Comments

What a revolution

[Anonymous Coward]

Mercedes is now able to crash cars remotely.

What could possibly go wrong

[Anonymous Coward]

I was going to say something, but I can't think of anything clever, because I'm shaking my head in disbelief so fast that I'm getting dizzy. Please tell me that the wireless interface at least has its own fuse that can be pulled.

Re:What could possibly go wrong

[c0lo]

Please tell me that the wireless interface at least has its own fuse that can be pulled.

On behalf of our R&D dept in East Europe and Russia, I can state that we don't know it ... yet. And, unless you aren't a Mercedes owner, we are not going to inform you.
If, however, you own this model, just tell us where it is parked and we'll let you know (if a fuse can be pulled, it's likely we can replace it with absolutely no troubles for your, while you're asleep).

Raising my black hat, I send you my best wishes and hopes of a successful ...(ummm... how to put it?... ah, yes...) collaboration,

(non-readable signature in 133t-sp34k)

Re:what could possibly go wrong

[digitig]

Soon: - First maleware for cars spotted in the wild. Car manufacturers: "No problem. it only infects the multimedia system" - Maleware displays a huge kitty on the HUD. First malware caused traffic accident with casualties.

I think auto manufacturers are waking up to the fact that women buy cars too.

Well Mercedes are a favourate of bankers

[Chrisq]

Well Mercedes are a favourate of bankers and corporate "fat cats". I couldn't think of a better challenge to Anonymous. Speed limiter to 20mph? Stuck in the driveway? I wait with eagerness.

Re:Well Mercedes are a favourate of bankers

[Opportunist]

Speed limiter to 20mph? Try cruise control stuck at 200mph, now here's funny for you!

Re:Well Mercedes are a favourate of bankers

[SuricouRaven]

Set to play Never Gonna Give You Up at random intervals, and disable audio controls for the duration.

Re:Many possibilities

[toastar]

What, you mean security through obscurity doesn't work?

Re:Many possibilities

[houghi]

I use security through less security. People are so trained that passwords are at least 6 characters long and often 8 that they will never try my SPACE as password.

Re:Who pays?

[Opportunist]

If money is an issue, you obviously should not own a Mercedes.

Sometimes, It's Good To Be Old-School

[longbot]

No automatic updates for me, unless Mercedes wants to install a computer to update in my '84 300TD.

Virus scan on Cars

[million_monkeys]

Soon: - First maleware for cars spotted in the wild. Car manufacturers: "No problem. it only infects the multimedia system" - Maleware displays a huge kitty on the HUD. First malware caused traffic accident with casualties. - Anti-Virus Software mandatory for cars - Kaspersky/McAffee/.. : ~40% of all cars infected with one virus or another....

Great, so now my car's only gonna go 15 mph because McAffee is using 90% of my engine resources.

Best scenario...

[DrogMan]

So you're the getaway driver sitting in the stolen Merc - your partners in crime are runing towards you. You hit the 'start' button... "Please wait while we install the latest software update. This process will take approximately 5 of your finest German minutes." Fantastic!

Re:Transparent upgrades - yeah, right

[Swampash]

Remember how you could always spot a Microsoft "Patch Tuesday" when you got to work and found all the desktop machines had rebooted overnight?

Spotting Mercedes Patch Tuesday on the autobahn is going to be epic.

Re:Many possibilities

[geekmux]

It's not a parking brake, never was. It's an emergency brake. I bet most people in the U.S. never bother setting it when the car is parked, heck, many of them I'm sure wouldn't know where it is or how to use it in an emergency. There's a "P" setting on the shifter, that's good enough :/

Oddly enough, the laws of inertia still exist in the Western Hemisphere, even including the United States!

(I hear there are hills too...)

Re:Many possibilities

[19thNervousBreakdown]

So you'd rather have nothing as a last resort in case of emergency? Because if you discount the emergency/parking brake, that's what you have.

Or maybe you're saying it should be a great big lever painted in yellow and black stripes with rotating red lights, sirens, and steam. If that's the case I agree, that's an emergency brake.

Me? In an emergency, I'll grab whatever the hell is around to slow me down, and I don't give a damn it's called, I'll just be grateful to have a redundant system.

Re:Secret capability?

[19thNervousBreakdown]

Haha what a douche! He totally had something he enjoyed but was a poor financial choice, and then when the time came to be responsible he got rid of it for a (presumably) more sensible ride! What a loser!

Also, lease? Eeeeew! Can you believe somebody would choose to pay less on a monthly basis when they don't plan to keep the car past the lease duration instead of paying more and then going through the risk and hassle of selling it? Man! I'm so much smarter being upside-down and paying gap insurance on my zero-down loan instead of leasing. Or, should I say, "low-classing". What am I, a drug dealer? Boy it's great being smug.