What is Over-the-Air Updates? Software updates are a crucial part of all kinds of technology, helping to maintain security or adding new features, often both. But as software becomes increasingly important in a range of devices and technologies, in some applications, such as firmware for an internet of things device, or mobile systems such as the AutoPi device, installing updates becomes a more complex process. Over-the Air, or OTA, allows devices and systems not normally connected to the internet to download and install essential software updates through wireless communications, maintaining software performance while remaining user friendly. How do OTA Updates Work? While there is complexity in how the OTA updates work, the process is streamlined to create a very straightforward, user-friendly experience. This is because software updates can be crucial to the operation of the device, so making it as straightforward as possible for end users is essential to encourage participation. The steps to an over the air update vary a little between devices, but look something like this: Development — The process begins with the development of the new update, whether firmware or software. This includes extensive testing, because with this approach, you can’t risk an update causing stability or other issues. Update is Initiated — Once the update is ready to go, it is uploaded to a central server, and then the update is launched to the devices themselves. Wireless Communications — The update is transmitted to each device wirelessly, using a secure protocol for reliability. In automotive systems such as AutoPi, the most common protocol we use is DoIP, or Diagnostic over Internet Protocol. Installation — As the device receives the update, most will trigger an automated update process. This is true for both firmware over the air (FOTA) updates as well as software updates. Verification — After installation, the system verifies the new files or firmware and any changed parameters with the central system, to ensure that everything is installed correctly. Behind the scenes, this is a relatively complex process with a number of different tasks in place, however, as a user, the system is designed for ease of use. In the case of a vehicle software update, it is usually scheduled for vehicle downtime, so you park up, and the next time you get in the vehicle, the update is complete. What can an over the air update do? The ability to update remotely in this way is incredibly useful for a wide range of technology and industries, but is essential for IoT devices and the automotive industry, especially in telematics tech. There are several ways in which OTA updates can be utilized: Software Enhancements — Whether it is performance improvements or adding new features, software updates can transform the user experience for any device. From vehicle software that adds things like Apple Car play to sensor updates that improves accuracy, OTA solutions deliver significant benefits for all kinds of devices. Security Improvements — With cyber threats being targeted at pretty much every connected device today, one of the key uses of over-the-air updates is to issue security fixes that solve vulnerabilities. The advantage here is that updates can be rolled out immediately without waiting for users to install them manually. Remote Configuration — The over-the-air system can also be used to simply the process of configurating devices for optimal performance or add new features. Various parameters can be adjusted to ensure that the device is delivering the expected performance, without needing any input from users. This is especially useful for something like fleet management, and telematics systems, where every device or vehicle in the fleet can be updated simultaneously without disrupting operations. Over-the-Air updates blend ease of use, reliability and security, helping to maintain device performance, product against threats and add new features without users having to do anything at all. Conclusion As our devices rely more on software and firmware changes to add functionality and protect against threats, over-the-air updates have become a crucial component of maintaining the viability of a wide range of tech. Without such automated updates, tech like AutoPi devices would require constant visits to service specialists or complex user-installed update processes, which would not only be costly to organize, but also be a barrier to adoption of the technology itself. With OTA updates able to handle all aspects of the process, everything from IoT devices to your EV offer ever improving performance in a user-friendly experience.
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