Your next car might get better after you buy it—here's how

Published Aug 25, 2026, 8:15 AM EDT Based in the Motor City, Carl Anthony is the Automotive Lead at How-to-Geek and the host of AutoVision News Radio, a podcast that focuses on future vehicle technology, including next-generation ADAS innovations, electrification, and software-defined cars. A broadcaster by nature, he has appeared on popular podcasts and radio shows, including Wrench Nation, Cars Yeah, The Car Doctor, and Digital PR Explained. Carl’s frequent appearances on MotorMouth Radio (WHPC 90.3 FM) over the last decade have made him a trusted resource for car enthusiasts, while his hosting of the AutoSens Insights series continues to spotlight the latest automotive technologies. Prior roles include serving as a new vehicle launch and dealer trainer for Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Volvo. Carl was a senior product specialist on Chevy's National Truck Team, an experiential marketing program that travels the United States, and a respected member of the FCA (now Stellantis) national auto show team, where he served as the resident expert for consumers on the Dodge Charger and Challenger. Before the automotive industry, Carl was a disc jockey, producer, and programmer at several popular Midwest radio stations, including KIWR, KEZO, KJAN, and KELO-FM. He is a graduate of Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, where he dual-majored in the Electronic Media studies program, earning an Associate of Applied Sciences degree in both radio and television broadcasting. Vehicles used to be finished the day they left the assembly line. Whatever the powertrain output, whatever the infotainment system menus, and whatever extra options and packages there were, they all stayed the same for as long as the buyer owned that vehicle. If they traded it in or sold it later, the second owner had all the same "fixed" features. That's changing for a growing share of new vehicles, especially as cars today are becoming increasingly software-defined. McKinsey defines a software-defined vehicle as one built around a central computer architecture that can be upgraded across its lifespan, adding new applications and capability long after it leaves the factory. New capability arrives the same way it does on a phone, through a wireless update that downloads and installs itself. A car isn't exactly a phone (it's a two-ton machine responsible for keeping people alive at highway speed), so the comparison only goes so far, but the basic mechanism is familiar. An over-the-air (OTA) update reaches the vehicle through a cellular or in-vehicle Wi-Fi connection and installs without a trip to the dealership. Here are three ways OTA updates are in play for vehicle owners today, which includes everything from expanded infotainment features to more EV range. Connectivity and multi-energy features Buyers should ask clarifying questions at the dealer In March 2026, Lucid began rolling out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to Gravity owners whose SUVs had launched originally without them. That same month, Volvo launched what its chief engineering and technology officer, Anders Bell, called the largest OTA update in company history, an initiative named Volvo Car UX that spanned about 2.5 million vehicles going back to the 2020 model year. The update put frequently used apps, like navigation, media, and phone, directly on the home screen and cut the number of taps needed to reach them. "Our new user experience delivers significant updates and improvements in areas most used by drivers, and directly addresses the needs and desires of our customers," Bell said at the time. Where Volvo changed how the screen works, Ford changed what's playing on it. Ford's software release notes, filed with NHTSA, describe adding video streaming as a new entertainment option to F-150 Lightning trucks that didn't ship with it originally, delivered through the Ford Power-Up system used for other similar updates. Likewise, Ford's Home Backup Power feature can turn an F-150 Lightning into a source of electricity for the homestead during an outage. Trucks with the standard-range battery can unlock the feature for a one-time software activation fee. None of these updates required a new vehicle or a trip to a dealer, but they weren't all identical. The Lucid and Volvo updates arrived free to every eligible owner, while Ford's Home Backup Power upgrade came with a fee. Consumers shopping for a vehicle now and over the next few years can gather more information at their local dealer by asking tech-focused questions, including which potential updates are free and which ones require a cost. Recall fixes and cybersecurity vulnerabilities OTA updates address both without an appointment Tesla recalled more than 1.8 million vehicles across the Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y after engineers sought to address complaints about hoods popping open while driving. The culprit was a deformed latch switch that could fail to register when the hood wasn't fully closed. “On affected vehicles, the latch assembly may not detect an open condition, which prevents driver notification of the open hood state when the vehicle is placed into drive,” read Tesla’s recall notice on the matter in July 2024. Rather than replace the latch switch in every vehicle, Tesla delivered the fix to owners as an OTA update (firmware 2024.20.3) that changed how the software interprets the switch's signal. Going forward, owners would see a dashboard warning any time the hood wasn't fully secure. No mechanical part was changed, and owners didn't need to schedule a service appointment. While Tesla's fix traced back to customer complaints, BMW's went back to security researchers who looked for a way in before anyone else could. The enterprise arm of Deutsche Telekom documented 14 vulnerabilities researchers found in BMW's infotainment and telematics systems, flaws that could have let a bad actor remotely inject malicious code. BMW patched them through an OTA update after working with the researchers who found them. Range and efficiency can actually get better Software keeps tabs on the battery after delivery Credit: Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek OTA updates for an EV's battery management system can improve how efficiently it uses its charge, extending both range and how long the pack holds up over time. Tesla went through this in 2020, after finding its newest Model S and Model X were outperforming their advertised range. The company raised the EPA-rated range on both, the Model S to 390 miles and the Model X to 351 miles, then pushed a software update so existing owners could see the gain on their dashboard. Nothing about the battery or powertrain changed in the traditional sense; the software had simply been underselling what the hardware could already do. Where Tesla adjusted the data on the dashboard, Rivian adjusted what the battery could actually do. Rivian's release notes describe an update that improved the charging curve on Gen 1 Max Pack and Gen 2 vehicles, giving owners more energy in less time at a fast charger. What OTA updates still can't guarantee Despite the benefits of OTA updates, they do not change what a vehicle still needs from an experienced technician, whether it's gasoline, hybrid, or an EV. Software can't rotate tires, replace brake pads, or flush major fluids, like transmission and engine coolant. The best way to think of an OTA update is as a layer on top of routine service and maintenance. Remote diagnostics can flag a problem, like an overheating battery cell, before it strands a driver on the highway shoulder. Global Market Insights valued the U.S. market for that kind of monitoring at 4.82 billion dollars in 2024, projected to cover more than 95% of new vehicles by 2030. However, catching a problem early still isn't the same as fixing it, as the actual repair may still require hands-on work by a technician. Likewise, connectivity capability doesn't guarantee equal treatment across brands. How fast a brand has handled recalls and security issues in the past is a reasonable predictor of how it will handle the next one. One thing is for sure, however: buying a new car was usually a one-time transaction, but as vehicles become more software-defined, automakers have more ways to reach consumers with beneficial updates.