OTA Car Software Updates: Are They Safe and How Do They Work?

For decades, cars have relied on software that controls everything from braking sensors to infotainment systems. Most newer vehicles have built-in cellular connections that allow them to download software updates directly from the manufacturer, and some can use a password-protected external WiFi network. Available updates usually pop up on the car’s infotainment screen with a prompt to install or wait. 

If you install a software update, it will usually unlock new features, fix problems, or both. For example:

• In 2018, after Consumer Reports found issues with braking performance on the original Model 3, Tesla sent out an update that reduced braking distances. Tesla was one of the first automakers to implement OTA updates, and has since released many to address recalls and change software performance.
• Lucid allowed owners to download an update that activates Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility.
• Volvo sent a major software update that refreshed the look of its infotainment screens.
• Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Stellantis, and others have issued recalls that could be performed via an OTA update.

Before you install an OTA update, most cars will tell you what to expect, including how long it will take. Many updates will prevent you from driving, so don’t accept an update if you need to go somewhere soon.

“Some updates take just a few minutes, others can take 90 minutes. In many cases, the car needs to be locked and will not function while the update runs,” says Crossen. EVs often require a charged battery, and some gas-powered cars must be left running to ensure a steady voltage supply during the download and install process.

Just as with a phone or computer, don’t worry if the status bar on your dashboard stops moving for a few minutes. “Sometimes updates take longer than estimated and look stuck, but all will be well,” says Yael Grauer, program manager for cybersecurity research at Consumer Reports. “Just make sure not to open or close the doors or turn the ignition on or off, because it could disturb the update.”

But if an update fails or takes hours when it was supposed to take minutes, Crossen says your best bet is to move the car to get a stronger connection, as he had to do recently when the progress bar on Consumer Reports’ own Subaru test car stalled during an update. “I moved the car 15 feet, and the progress bar began to move.” Many vehicles have a signal strength indicator on their infotainment screens, similar to the one at the top of a phone’s screen. If that doesn’t help, you may need to take the car to the dealership.

In May 2025, the driver of a Volvo XC90 crashed after an OTA update affected braking functionality. In October 2025, some Jeep owners found their vehicles had suddenly lost power while driving after a failed OTA update. In both cases, the automakers issued further OTA updates to undo the error and fix the problem.

However, Consumer Reports’ experts say that most failures are a lot less dramatic.

“All software updates have the possibility of causing glitches or errors once they meet the real world, no matter how diligent the testing has been,” says Stacey Higginbotham, policy fellow for tech advocacy at Consumer Reports. “And sometimes updates may reset settings to the default, and car owners will need to make a few adjustments to suit their preferences.”

Consumer Reports’ experts recommend that, after an update, drivers take a moment to see what’s changed.

“While security vulnerabilities are often invisible to the end consumer, an update that changes where dashboard elements are displayed can frustrate consumers and may even represent a safety issue,” says Higginbotham.

It depends. If an OTA update fixes a safety recall, it falls under a federal law that requires all safety recalls to be provided free of charge on cars that are up to 15 years old. (Many automakers voluntarily extend this deadline.) 

Some automakers, including Hyundai and Kia, require that owners have an active subscription to the automaker’s telematics program to use OTA updates. If they’re not subscribed, they’ll have to bring their car to a dealership for software updates, and they may be charged a service fee.

Other updates require payment. For example, Tesla requires drivers to pay a monthly subscription to access its active driving assistance system, which receives frequent updates.

The risks of not updating your car are a lot higher than any potential issues you might face, CR’s experts warn.

“If the car has software components, never connecting it to the internet might mean that you must visit a dealer every time you need to update the car’s software or that you simply won’t get bug fixes and new features, which ultimately could render the car less safe,” says Higginbotham. 

She says it’s up to industry regulators and lawmakers to set security standards that automakers must abide by, and it is incumbent on nonprofit watchdogs such as Consumer Reports to draw attention to potential security failures. “Unfortunately for consumers, good security is an invisible feature that they cannot evaluate,” she says.

Grauer and Higginbotham both say that, despite some highly publicized incidents in which cybersecurity researchers demonstrated how easy it was to hack a vehicle, the risks of OTA updates are relatively low.

“If it is a well-designed system, only software signed with the manufacturer’s cryptographic key will install,” says Grauer.

Consumer Reports’ experts recommend that drivers take the following precautions before an OTA software update:

OTA software downloads may fix problems or address important safety recalls. Some cars can be set to automatically perform certain updates in the background. But you might have to search for one in the vehicle’s “Settings” menu the same way you would on a phone or laptop.

Try to find out what an OTA update does by reading the release notes before you drive, so you can anticipate any changes to how your car performs or how its controls work. You can always call the manufacturer’s helpline to ask for more detailed information.

Don’t leave anyone in the car while it’s updating, and make sure it’s parked somewhere with a good cell phone signal, or that you can connect it to WiFi.

Adopt the same common-sense security practices as you would for a computer or phone: Don’t install updates from unofficial sources, keep your car and phone apps up-to-date, use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication to prevent your account from getting hacked, and follow manufacturer instructions to reduce the risk of a failed update or corrupted installation.

Grauer says that if you’re uncomfortable with installing a software update yourself, you can get it done at a dealership. “If I was getting something else fixed, I’d probably see if they could take care of it at the same time,” she says.

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