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Upgrade Tesla

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 10:51 am
by martine
Just had an email from Tesla (because I test drove one out of interest) explaining the bottom of the range Tesla S model is being discontinued but at the end it says:

Customers who still want the opportunity to own a 60 kWh Model S will have until 16th April 2017 to place their order. Any 60 kWh Model S will have the ability to upgrade their battery to 75 kWh via an over the air update.

That's clever...an 'over the air' update upgrades the battery capacity? I think they mean it removes a software restriction.

Makes you wonder what other cars have artificial software restrictions.

Re: Upgrade Tesla

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 12:59 pm
by jont-
martine wrote:Makes you wonder what other cars have artificial software restrictions.

It's becoming increasingly common. Manufacturers are starting to build in spare capacity in lots of places (eg IVI systems) - so it might be the software isn't ready when the car is launched, but can be added to a later model year without having to change the hardware platform.

Re: Upgrade Tesla

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 1:33 pm
by devonutopia
I remember a classic on fairly modern VW - You have a camera type thing installed for the adaptive cruise control option, however the same camera also is used for traffic sign recognition, which is a several hundred £££ option on top. With VCDS it just takes a few ticks in the coding to activate it, as long as the camera is there for the adaptive cruise. :D

Re: Upgrade Tesla

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 2:48 pm
by akirk
that was going on in a not dis-similar way many years ago - my 2000 built Z3 wasn't built with cruise control (c. £1,600 option at the time) however when I came to add it - c.£60 for the stalk, make a hole in the steering column plastic and all the functionality and plugs are built in... plug and play... it just becomes easier to do it over the air when it is computer based...

still intriguing to see that you have full functionality for something built in but switched off - so with my cruise control it would be like having the stalk there, but not be able to use it until you pay for an upgrade... :)

Alasdair

Re: Upgrade Tesla

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 4:08 pm
by gannet
akirk wrote:that was going on in a not dis-similar way many years ago - my 2000 built Z3 wasn't built with cruise control (c. £1,600 option at the time) however when I came to add it - c.£60 for the stalk, make a hole in the steering column plastic and all the functionality and plugs are built in... plug and play... it just becomes easier to do it over the air when it is computer based...

still intriguing to see that you have full functionality for something built in but switched off - so with my cruise control it would be like having the stalk there, but not be able to use it until you pay for an upgrade... :)

Alasdair

I did exactly the same with my z4 (Apr 2004 build)...

After Oct 2004 they cottoned on a removed the wiring loom making the job ALOT harder...

Re: Upgrade Tesla

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 4:16 pm
by angus
My 2013 Scenic receives some updates over the cellphone network, though for large ones I have to plug the SD card into my computer.

When Ford introduced heated windscreens, the wiring was put in all Mk 4 Escorts regardless of the actual windscreen fitted.

Re: Upgrade Tesla

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 4:55 pm
by akirk
Didn't the Mclaren F1 have the ability to plug into the telephone system with a dial up modem back to Mclaren HQ?

Alasdair

Re: Upgrade Tesla

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 7:48 pm
by angus
akirk wrote:Didn't the Mclaren F1 have the ability to plug into the telephone system with a dial up modem back to Mclaren HQ?

Alasdair


Don't think it did it all by itself tho' :lol:

Re: Upgrade Tesla

Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 11:20 pm
by waremark
akirk wrote:Didn't the Mclaren F1 have the ability to plug into the telephone system with a dial up modem back to Mclaren HQ?

Alasdair

I seem to remember that more recently the factory bought up a load of old laptops to be compatible with the system.

Re: Upgrade Tesla

Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 11:32 am
by TheInsanity1234
If you think about it, it's exactly the same with my Citigo. I have a 3 cylinder 1.0 engine producing 60 horsepower in mine. I had the option of paying another £1000 or something like that for a 3 cylinder 1.0 engine producing 75 horsepower.

Or I could take it to a clever chappy with a laptop that had the 75 horsepower map, and pay him £200 to upgrade my engine from the 60 horsepower variant to a 75 horsepower variant, with no need to change any of the hardware in the car.