Unlike old combustion engines, electric cars occasionally get an update without a visit to the workshop. New software was also available for the leasing vehicle of a British woman – but the BMW i4 refused to install it because the car was on a hill.
Modern and fully networked cars sometimes produce strange blossoms: A British woman recently complained on Twitter that her BMW i4 did not want to carry out a remote-controlled update. The car did not name poor reception or too little residual power as the cause, but complained about its parking position on the display. The pitch was too steep to blame.
No BMW update up the hill
Holder Clare Eliza wrote, “‘Sentences that would make your grandma’s head explode’: I can’t update my car because I live on a hill.” To do this, she shows an image of her vehicle’s display, which shows information about the software update via remote access. It reads, “The road is too steep to begin installation. Please park the vehicle on a level surface.”
What was apparently intended as a small joke, since a quick re-parking usually means little effort, went viral through the internet a short time later. Possible answers were quickly found as to why the car probably didn’t want to carry out the installation on the hill. One user suggested, “Maybe in case the electric parking brake resets during the update and the car could then crash into something or someone?” He asked, “Is there a way to take wheel stops and reassure the car that it can’t roll away?”
BMW confirms intention
The case quickly reached specialist magazines such as “”. There they asked BMW what this message was all about. The company replied that the electric cars have every imaginable sensor that allows the vehicles to determine their exact position. The error message can only be explained by the fact that it is an “all-encompassing precautionary measure covering every worst-case scenario” that is intended to prevent the car from moving at all costs.
Also the star wanted to know if a steep driveway could pose a problem. The company confirmed the safety function and went into more detail: “Safety is the top priority for the BMW Group. Before installing a remote software upgrade, a “precondition check” takes place. Among other things, it checks whether the vehicle is parked level and therefore any There is no risk of rolling away. This is a “functional safety” requirement that was tested by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority during system approval for the UNECE regulation R156 and rated as exemplary.”
Please (nevertheless) no Tesla
So BMW drivers with a hillside parking spot are indeed at a disadvantage – and the update will have to be postponed in such a case until the car has reached a level position. Clare Eliza is now apparently bothered by having published the picture – because she complains that too many people have advised her to exchange the BMW for a Tesla without being asked. Also on Twitter, she gives the volunteer sales consultants a clear answer: “FYI: I’d rather ride an electric unicycle to work than a Tesla.”
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Source: Stern
I’m a recent graduate of the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism. I started working as a news reporter for 24 Hours World about two years ago, and I’ve been writing articles ever since. My main focus is automotive news, but I’ve also written about politics, lifestyle, and entertainment.
