Software updates - why is Porsche so far behind.......?

[Petzi]

I haven't been here for a while, but I do want to comment on this issue. My Macan is my second EV, my first EV was a Tesla Model 3 Performance. In my experience, my Tesla had at least as many if not more software induced problems than my Macan. However, the Tesla issues, in my view, were a lot worse.

For example, Tesla phantom braking; this happened regularly when using either Autopilot or cruise control, rendering both unusable. For those who don't know, this involves the car slamming on the brakes for no reason whilst using either system on the motorway (highway) and is quite frankly dangerous. Tesla never cured this, despite numerous updates. Useless auto dipping headlights, non-functioning matrix headlights, and useless auto-wipers. They only got the matrix lights working in my last 6 months of ownership. All of these had serious implications insofar as actual driving and safety are concerned.

In contrast, my Macan' s equivalent systems are essentially faultless. I don't care if I can't use my phone as a key and that I get the odd error message, but I do care that my car does not try and cause an accident due to software issues in basic driving related systems. Porsche get the latter right and many of their competitors (Tesla, the update king) don't.

Also, despite being fast, no Tesla handles like a Porsche. OK, the Macan isn't a 911 (I know, I have one) but it gets as close as possible for an SUV.

In short, if you want a car for driving, buy a Porsche, if you want to play with what is essentially a PC (with all that entails - crashing for no reason and so forth) on wheels, get a Tesla or some other computer on wheels.

i am just reposting this perfect text

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[daveo4EV]

Cool. I asked Copilot for more on your second point. It gave a good explanation, so sharing. I thought it was useful insight:


How Porsche Updates Software at the Dealer

1. They connect your car to a secure diagnostic interface

The technician plugs into:

• ODIS (Offboard Diagnostic Information System)
• Using a VAS 6154A or similar factory interface
• Over Ethernet, CAN, FlexRay, or DoIP depending on the module


This gives Porsche a direct, stable, high‑bandwidth link to every ECU.

---

2. The dealer system authenticates with Porsche’s servers

The dealer tool:

• Logs into Porsche’s backend
• Checks your VIN
• Retrieves the exact software versions installed
• Compares them to the latest approved versions


This ensures:

• No wrong firmware
• No cross‑flashing
• No unsupported combinations


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3. Each ECU is updated individually

This is the part most people don’t realize.

Your car has 80–150 ECUs, and each one:

• Has its own firmware
• Comes from a different supplier
• Has its own flashing procedure
• Has its own safety rules


The dealer tool flashes them one at a time, in a specific order.

Examples:

• Bosch ABS/ESC module
• ZF steering controller
• LG or CATL battery management system
• Valeo HVAC controller
• Harman infotainment unit
• Continental gateway module


Each supplier provides Porsche with:

• A signed firmware package
• A flashing script
• Safety checks
• Rollback instructions


Porsche does not rewrite these modules themselves.

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4. The car enters a special “programming mode”

During flashing:

• High‑voltage systems may be isolated
• 12V is stabilized with a charger
• The gateway controls which ECUs stay awake
• The car disables most functions


This prevents bricking.

I'm so glad an AI agent confirmed what I knew to be true…Porsche is way way behind on software in general - and it's a deep hole to dig out of - their core business practices and supply chain methodolgy has to be revamped in order to address it…

so it's neither simple or easy - and in fact is complex and existential for them to overcome some of these hurdles…

the entire premise of the legacy automotive industry is anti-vertical integration - and being able to carry out OTA updates requires vertical integration approaches…

so yeah - they are behind and will probably be behind for a while - and it's unclear if they consider it a priority to resolve this issue - they would like to do it - but they may have bigger issues to address given their recent business performance.

 

[Petzi]

No it isn’t the software is a joke, especially compared to the iX I have. My iX from 2021 has more features in car but also in the App of my iPhone, BMW is like 10 times more useful and has way more details. Just to name 2, manual battery pre conditioning in the car and in the App, yes important if you live in colder regions. It even will pop up battery pre conditioning while using Apple CarPlay and Apple Maps …
The list is long and like with my Tesla regular OTA updates …
Yes the driving dynamics are bare none the best of any EV SUV, but the software is a drama … and will probably the number one reason this will be my first and last Porsche.
I’ve test driven the Zeekr 7X this weekend, and man even the Chinese wipe the floor with the Macan from a software perspective.
Yes the driving / handling they are king, but that is only when you find a place where you can experience that, because in daily driving they all drive the same.

i am so tired of this. you are repeating and repeating the same in every possible thread. every other car does it better for you which is ok, but i have to ask again, why dont you switch and why did you buy the porsche in the first place? ota was not promised, manual preheating was not promised (to the contrary). so you either bought something expansive you did not know anything about or what ?

 

[daveo4EV]

https://www.macanevowners.com/forum...ason-the-macan-software-is-so-glitchy….23305/

 

[daveo4EV]

Completely agree on all the points and firmware issues. Great to see all of the actual detail. Thanks for that. Unfortunately that puts them way behind (newer) so called 'zonal' architectures popular in new versions of EV's coming from BMW and Volvo/Geeli. Innovated by the likes of Tesla, Rivian and Lucid -- adopted by the Chinese, I'm sure.
I am hearing noises that the joint efforts with Rivian and VW supposedly undertaken to actually solve this problem are not doing well .. probably because of the massive clash of cultures and the overhaul of the supply chains that grew up around ECU's. Electretec recently did a review of the new assembly line for Cayenne's. It's clear that innovative directions in Porsche are focused on core automotive engineering and maybe on flexible manufacturing. That doesn't bode well for SDC and OTA updates anytime soon. I saw this play out with both Sony and Blackberry when up against Apple in another life. The outcome was not pleasant for purely engineering based companies. They always view software as an afterthought needing to be retrofitted into their beautiful and superior designs.

I have, so far, no major issues with my Macan 4S and I love to drive it. However, after 3 Porsche's, unless they fix the SDC and OTA issues, I'm afraid this might be my last one. I'm NOT going back to ICE.

https://eletric-vehicles.com/rivian...d-crisis-meeting-as-jv-faces-slowdown-report/

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