Will Discontinued EVs Continue To Get Software Support?

It seems like almost every modern device ships with a motherboard and an internet connection, including electric vehicles. While these inclusions might sound superfluous (and could stand alongside some of the more worrying trends we've seen in EVs lately), they let you update your car with new features and software improvements. But all good things must come to an end, and that includes software support.

Just like how all smartphones (including Android devices) have "end of life" dates, all EVs have their own "end of life" dates where they eventually stop receiving software patches. However, the exact post-manufacturing lifespan differs from company to company. Currently, laws only prevent manufacturers from intentionally bricking vehicles. Suddenly cutting customers off from feature updates, cloud services, and built-in apps, meanwhile, is completely within their rights — as scummy as that might sound.

Of course, exceptions are always present. For instance, if a software bug prevents a discontinued EV from working properly, the manufacturer must squash it. However, these obligations usually end at critical functions; as an example, GPS functionality might sit outside the purview of these responsibilities.

Due to advances in the EV industry, electric vehicle batteries now last a long time. All things being equal, you can probably get almost 20 years out of these cars — at least when you only take physical components and parts into consideration. After an EV is discontinued and the manufacturer stops shipping software updates, the programmers generally try to end service on a high note and provide a stable operating system. However, programs don't always stay stable for long. You can hypothetically sidestep most issues by using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to stream apps onto the EV's infotainment screen. But if something goes wrong with the software that manages this wireless connection, you're out of luck.

One ray of hope lies in "right to repair" laws, which give owners and repair shops the legal right to maintain their electronic devices and vehicles. These laws can include access to software and diagnostics. Some states have "right to repair" laws for cars, but they are few and far between. Even the ones that exist might not guarantee access to all the necessary parts and tools for every car on the market. 

We wish we could say how long an EV will last after it is discontinued, but the companies that manufacture and manage them either don't know or just won't say. Until the right to repair becomes more mainstream, you can only hope that companies stick to their promise when they claim their cars receive as much as 10 years worth of updates. And you might not even get that, as some automakers don't provide any guaranteed time frame for software support.