Bosch Australia releases smartphone apps to update and upgrade car software

In the latest step towards the completely connected car, Bosch Australia has unveiled new apps which allow car owners to troubleshoot and fix problems, update software and install new features from their phones.

In the future, car owners will be able to enhance their car’s security, intelligence, and performance without getting up from the sofa. A swipe of the smartphone will be enough to automatically update vehicle software or to download new functions directly from the cloud – without any need to visit a repair shop or garage.

“In a few years from now, automatic software updates will be possible in every new car,” said Dr Markus Heyn, a member of the Bosch board of management. “Wireless over-the-air updates are extremely convenient for drivers. In addition, Bosch is making these online updates secure and fast.”

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Bosch has developed all the features required for these wireless updates in-house. They range from the control units and in-car communication infrastructure to modern encryption technologies and the Bosch IoT cloud.

Bosch says that 15 percent of all US car recalls involve software errors, something which it claims this can help to address. However, many will cite security concerns, especially the potential danger posed when cars are hacked.

Despite this, Bosch has reassured consumers that its technology is safe. It said in its announcement: “Data security is ensured by the latest encryption technologies developed at the Bosch subsidiary Escrypt. A complex security architecture with end-to-end encryption protects the data transmission against unauthorised access. At the car-cloud interfaces, secure protocols and filters act like a firewall to ward off any hacking attempts.

“To ensure that over-the air software updates are not just secure, but also fast and reliable, Bosch uses fast update technologies such as delta and compression mechanisms. These accelerate the update process and reduce cost, since the data volume for the transmission remains low. One further security measure is to transmit the updates in sequences.”