Many Lexus Navigation Systems Bricked By Over-The-Air Software Update (theverge.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: An unknown number of Lexus automobiles have seen their infotainment and navigation head units broken by a bug in an over-the-air software update from Lexus. The glitch, which was confirmed by a Lexus spokesperson, was delivered in a routine software update. In affected cars, it can cause the dashboard screen to spontaneously reset itself and, as a result, both the radio and navigation system can be unusable. It affects cars equipped with Lexus' Enform system with navigation. Lexus social media channels have been flooded by frustrated owners, but the company has been unable to give any estimates for when the problem will be resolved. The company also couldn't say whether customers will see the problem fix itself with another software update or if they will need to head into dealers to get it fixed. Some users on Twitter have reported success with disconnecting their battery for a few moments to force a reset of the system.

Comments

Obligatory nitpick

[Yosho]

The company also couldn't say whether customers will see the problem fix itself with another software update or if they will need to head into dealers to get it fixed. Some users on Twitter have reported success with disconnecting their battery for a few moments to force a reset of the system.

If a reset of the system can fix the problem, it's not bricked. If a software update can fix it, it's also not bricked.

"Bricked" means it is completely unrepairable and useless as anything other than a brick.

Re:Obligatory nitpick

[Aaden42]

Personally I draw the line at grease and/or needing tools. If I can't do it with my bare hands or get dirty in the process, it's become a hardware problem. If pulling the battery fixes it, that's not "bricked," but it's gone a bit beyond a software problem if I need a wrench and get sulfuric acid salts on my hands in the process.

Re:Obligatory nitpick

[Mashiki]

Well in this case disconnecting the battery can be hit or miss, depending on the vehicle. Disconnecting the battery is the equivalent of a hard reboot(in some cases), in others it's a soft reboot because it'll try to update/go previously recorded settings. In the very worst cases, it'll get stuck in an upgrade loop. Also some ECU's kick into a failsafe mode and go back to the previous non-updated version. Some will revert to the last known working state from sensors/active states from the other ECU's(transmission/ABS/etc) and go from there while recording the error(s). In other cases it'll operate with the last known settings and then start throwing a "service engine" or similar warning light after a little while. That's basically meant to get you as far as a dealership.

Anyway in 90% of cases the entire ECU pack is sealed so it's not something you're going to be fixing with some disassembly. In the very assholish case, you have to replace all ECU's on the vehicle. Everything from the vehicle's center console, to transaxles/transmissions to specific engine computers or body computers(for airbags). So really you could put this down as it is a bricking, or it isn't a bricking all depending on what the auto manufacture has done.

Re:Obligatory nitpick

[stealth_finger]

If you can even get to the battery.... with newer cars, the days of shadetree mechanics are long gone, how long is it before removing the connectors fromt he posts will require special tools.

Before too long you want even be able to open the bonnet without specialised tools.

Car manufacturers don't understant InfoSec

[sinij]

Car manufacturers do not understand InfoSec and should not be networking cars. It is only matter of short time until someone reverse-engineers update mechanism, inevitably discovering that they did not implement code signing and integrity checking, craft malicious update and bricks (or worse) cars equipped with such functionality.

More so, in 15 years your networked car could still be on the road. Even if 2015 best-practices are followed, by 2030 how resistant do you think such over-the-air update functionality going to be to, for example, quantum-capable attackers?

Re:Car manufacturers don't understant InfoSec

[MachineShedFred]

You would be surprised what you can do with an OBD2 port. On the new F-chassis BMWs (2012+ depending on model) the in-car CANBUS system will measure resistance and voltage on certain pins, and if it sees what it expects, that port stops doing ODB2 and starts signalling ethernet and TCP/IP to talk to diagnostic software.

They weren't stupid enough to do over-the-air updating, but you can build a cable or buy one for ~$30 to start poking around in the firmware, and even upload values to change how the car behaves in slight ways - turning off the govt. required nanny warnings that display for stupidly long times every time you start the car, increase the short-press on the turn signal stick from 3 blinks to 5, enable rolling up the windows and closing the sunroof if you hold the lock button on the keyfob, etc.

that's a $50,000 Toyota for you

[known_coward_69]

underneath the buzzwords and the snobby sales experience it's still a Toyota for a $10,000 premium over a regular Toyota but that is how they make your money, their money

this is absurd.

[nimbius]

as a lexus driver im accustomed to certain quirks but this is unreal. First the car comes with "turning signals" which honestly I dont see any reason to use, and now the GPS, my only means of figuring out how to make a left turn against 5 lanes of traffic at 90 miles per hour is broken?! Whats next?? youll tell me the little L on the front of my car hasnt doesnt give me godlike powers over traffic?

Re:Can you put aftermarket radios in cars anymore?

[MachineShedFred]

It depends on the make, and model. Some asshole manufacturers have the CANBUS running through the head unit (radio) so that if you remove it, things like the power windows stop working. I saw a Dodge truck like this once, and there was enough room in the dash that the owner just shoved the unit back in far enough that he could plug the speaker wires into a new unit that he mounted in the dash - that was the only way to get it done without buying some $300 aftermarket unit that could replicate the CANBUS functions in the radio.

Other manufacturers play nice and don't do stupid shit like that, so YMMV.