Tesla may have introduced over-the-air updates but it's no longer the sole automaker doing them. Automakers big and small understand OTAs are the future and now Polestar has announced OTA updates for Polestar 2 owners that are due to get underway in the coming weeks. Like most general OTAs, this one is completely free of charge, part of the overall package when buying the Swedish brand's first all-electric vehicle.
All Polestar 2 owners are set to receive Bluetooth connectivity improvements, climate timers, an updated digital owner's manual, the 360-degree camera, some Android OS system upgrades, range enhancements, and incremental speed improvements for DC charging.
A safety-related propulsion bug has also been resolved. Polestar says the Connected Safety tech will be part of the next update. This is quite an important feature because it's capable of collecting and sharing data from other Polestar drivers who've identified potential road hazards in the vicinity. For example, the cloud-based system records when other vehicles react to icy road conditions when traction control was required.
Another alert situation could indicate when a Polestar vehicle is involved in a crash and now poses a road safety risk. A simple push of a button on the 11-inch freestanding, Android Automotive OS-powered touchscreen is all that's necessary to download these important and totally free updates.
"With OTA we bring the latest software updates straight to Polestar 2 customers just like they experience it on their smartphones," said Thomas Ingenlath, CEO of Polestar. "Our engineers are constantly improving functionality and developing new features, and with OTA we will be able to push new software out regularly - which means that even the earliest cars can run the latest version and gain new features."
One huge OTA benefit is, of course, keeping one's car modern. In the past, many owners opted to trade-in their still relatively new vehicles because they lacked the latest features. The rest of the car was fine otherwise. OTAs allow extended ownership periods and, equally convenient, there's no need for physical dealer service visits.