Part 15. Heart of Future Mobility Delivered by LG Electronics, OTA

Have ever woken up one morning to find your smartphone completely gone through an update on its own? You cannot recognize the number of changes that your phone has received overnight. The fonts are different, the placement of all the different apps has changed and the tab grouping format has undergone something you have not seen before on your phone. This particular function is what you call OTA.

OTA stands for “Over The Air”. This function is an update protocol that wirelessly edits, adds, and deletes the software to the newest version designed by the manufacturer. As this technology has become a natural dominance over many IT industries, it is more common than not to experience this function firsthand today. Seen in many modern electronic devices, one of the most common devices we can find this function is our smartphone – an easy solution for smartphone owners to update their software without having to visit a service center or phone store.

However, this is not just a function that exists within the mobile phone industry. It has made its way to the automobile industry as well. Today we can see such updates happening on our infotainment systems in our vehicles. Today, we will explain to you the crucial role that OTA plays in the future automobile industry. Let us dive into the first question.

The OTA is not solely used for basic software updates such as changing the user interface (UI) for navigation systems. It is capable of upgrading the overall digital cockpit functions, driving distance, acceleration speed, automobile control, and driving assistance. When it comes to upgrading the previous software, we cannot forget the Automated Driving System (ADS). Whenever new functions are released to fix existing flaws and errors, the OTA allows both brand-new cars and older models to receive the same latest software update.

However, updating is not the only function that the OTA has to offer. It plays a vital role in ensuring that the different cars have matching software functions and versions to the hardware. When ADS is activated, the OTA function allows cars on the road to exchange data such as driving speed, change of direction, and sudden response to emergencies. In case a car did not receive the proper updates and is incapable of exchanging these necessary data during ADS, this may lead to unpredictable outcomes.

Moreover, ADS requires a multitude of cars on the road to share the aforementioned functionality. In practice, for the best results, ADS requires all self-driving cars and traffic systems on the road to be updated to the latest versions in order to communicate with each other efficiently. Since each country has its own Automobile Safety Standards and traffic regulations, the OTA function automatically applies the standards and regulations of the relevant country to a car’s control functions. This is all thanks to the OTA function which is able to recognize the country’s location and regulations and receive the updates according to its current location.

Another reason why the OTA function is important is that it provides valuable “big data” to automobiles. Thanks to the OTA function, “big data” such as problems that were caused most frequently by self-driving cars and other congruent issues can be collected. In addition to the problem analysis function, it has the capability to collect various information through the real-time update from the traffic systems; not to forget that this system is in constant communication with the manufacturer for further updates for maintenance purposes.

Manufacturers and developers are constantly collecting new data to further develop the OTA system. With their effort to minimize issues that arise from unknown variables, the technology deals from numerous angles, such as “how the speed of the adjacent cars changing lanes could impact the vehicle operation” or “how certain updates have fixed and reinforced certain systemic errors to cause fewer issues.” It is their constant retouch and evaluations of the core system that highlight this particular technology. Thanks to OTA, we are able to gather real-time data on time-sensitive technical issues before, during, and after driving. These processes ultimately ensure the perfection, safety, and convenience of self-driving cars.

As the OTA function maintains automobile software up to date, drivers do not need to visit service centers or dealerships as often as before. In light of the entire motor vehicle industry slowly turning towards electric vehicular systems, more than 50% of automobile components have some electrical components to them, to a point where cars have now become essentially computers on wheels. These sudden increases in demand for software and IT components are no surprise and due to the fact that these motor vehicles are more independently automated, electric vehicles are capable of receiving updates via OTA without any physical contact. As such, updating the vehicular software with the help of the OTA system saves time, cost, and effort for customers and car manufacturers alike.

OTA may seem convenient at first glance, but there are areas that must be approached with caution. An area that still needs improvement is stability. Since automobile safety is directly linked to human lives, pre-application testing requires significant effort. In addition, since the automobile OTA system requires an integrated view of countless automobile components, hardware, and software that are much more complex than those of a smartphone, it requires greater attention.

But that is not all. Security is another big issue that causes many car manufacturers to transition to the OTA system. With the possibility of hacking and the exchange of large volumes of data corrupting certain software, many automobile manufacturers have their concerns. Due to these issues, the automobile industry is engaging in various analyses and discussions on the application of OTA. For example, the world-renown electrical vehicle company, Tesla, started using the OTA system from the beginning, while Ford started implementing them in January 2021. Volkswagen is also behind and announced its plan last year and began applying the OTA system in summer 2021. GM and Daimler also announced their plans to implement the OTA system in their automobiles starting 2023 and 2024 respectively. Aside from these major companies, numerous global premium automobile brands are planning to implement the OTA system in the near future.

Even though it is a challenge, LG Electronics is reaching for the stars and is doing its best to accomplish something that many still have doubts about. Researching and developing the OTA system so that it can apply to various types of cars and various automobile functions is a future that LG Electronic believes in.