Ford Touts Over-the-Air Updates for Mustang Mach-E
Photo: Ford
The all-new 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E, still set to arrive at dealerships by year’s end, will be the automaker’s first vehicle to offer over-the-air updates. The ability to update the various computer modules of the Mach-E enables Ford to continuously improve its all-electric SUV in areas ranging from infotainment and connectivity to performance.
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“The beauty of the Mustang Mach-E is that what our customers experience on day one is just the beginning — it will evolve to add even more features and capabilities over time,” said John Vangelov, connected services manager, Ford Motor Company. “Our clever over-the-air updates also minimize downtime through incredibly fast activation and ensure your Mustang Mach-E is always getting better, even when you’re asleep.”
Drivers can set their Mustang Mach-E to update at times where the vehicle is not typically in use, and Ford promises that most updates take under two minutes to install. If a more involved and time-consuming update needs to be installed, it can be scheduled for a time where the Mach-E will be parked for a longer period. Whenever an update is installed, a prompt will tell the driver what’s been changed.
The first over-the-air updates for the Mustang Mach-E are likely to come six months after launch. Later this year, Ford will also unfurl OTA capabilities for redesigned vehicles, and it would be a safe bet that OTA will be standard for newer vehicles launching soon like the Bronco and all-new F-150.
Despite smooth development, Mach-E launch delayed two months
Ford has continued testing and development of OTA updates while adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic. In lieu of having teams convene together, Ford set up remote access to all vehicle modules so that test updates can be performed quickly. According to Ford, the process has been streamlined from five hours to under 10 minutes, putting the Mach-E on track to be at its best from day one. Development of the all-new Mustang Mach-E has continued in a similarly unabated fashion since shelter-in-place orders went into effect in Michigan.
While this work ensures that the Mustang Mach-E will begin its initial launch this year, the shutdown of North American manufacturing will push that date back two months. On Friday, Ford Chief Product Development and Purchasing Officer Hau Thai-Tang said that production of key vehicles like the Mach-E, Bronco, and 2021 F-150 will see delays “commensurate with the duration of the shutdown period.”
Ford’s Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant, where the 2021 Mustang Mach-E will be built, reopens on Monday.
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Kyle S. Johnson lives in Cincinnati, a city known by many as “the Cincinnati of Southwest Ohio.” He enjoys professional wrestling, Halloween, and also other things. He has been writing for a while, and he plans to continue to write well into the future. See more articles by Kyle.