tech guru Kim Reynolds once wrote. “The era of the ‘finished’ car that stays exactly the same, day after day, for the seven years you own it, is toast.”, over-the-air updates were virtually unheard of in automobiles. Tesla was the first to introduce the tech, in September 2012, on the Model S—the subject of his story. In the decade since, over-the-air updates have become standard industry practice.
However, the next time I hopped in the Crosstrek, I was informed the software had been installed. So much for procrastination. At first glance, nothing appeared to be different, and everything I’d used before seemed to be in the same place and work the same way. So I put it in gear and drove off, the OTA update fading into the background.in the same place.
Among the “new functions or enhancements” listed: improved Bluetooth connectivity and security, a 5.8-second time reduction from starting the car to CarPlay startup , and album artwork appearing when playing CarPlay audio. In other words, it’s mostly stuff you might not notice until someone points it out, and even then, it’s hard to see.