Your Car May Outlive Its Software Support – And That's A Real Problem

One of the biggest problems with the use of software in cars is the potential for the car to outlive its software support, making repairs much more complicated.

For example, just look at a list of Apple devices that are reaching the end of software support; Apple typically stops supporting software for iPhones after about five to seven years.

It's tough to tell just how big of a problem a lack of car software support would be until you understand exactly what software does in today's cars.

In software-defined vehicles, software plays an important role in more than just the infotainment center.

The closest guarantee to a software support timeline is for software updates related to safety recalls, as manufacturers must provide free fixes for safety recalls for 15 years.