Will the lightning get meaningful OTA updates?

[ElectricTexan]

I've now had my lightning Lariat ER for 1 year. Overall I am a huge fan, and I constantly recommend EVs and the lightning in particular to friends/coworkers. However I am slightly disappointed with a few things:

1 - the predicted range is a pipe dream, even when I am driving like a senior citizen I find my actual consumption atleast 20% more than projected. In cold weather at high speeds I may burn thru 45 miles of range in a 15 mile commute. This doesn't negatively impact my driving or charging style, but it is disappointing to say the least.

2- after owning the vehicle for the year i still don't think I've had an update to bluecruise. I've had a map's update, but the functionality and performance remain unchanged.

3- the OTA updates also do not seem to be providing any meaningful increases to functionality. I did really enjoy the UX changes that added the camera icon and increased functionality with the volume dial, but beyond that I haven't really seen much improvement over the year in comparison so Tesla OTAs.

What I really want to see are Ford equivalents to Tesla's: camp mode, dog mode, sentry mode, and dashcam feature.

Does anyone think we're going to eventually get features like that? @Ford Motor Company is this in the pipeline?

I have a late reservation for the cybertruck, I may change vehicles when the time comes if these features aren't available, but id prefer to keep my lightning, but have comparable features.

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[02Reaper]

At this point I doubt it, but it remains to be seen.

 

[Txxthie]

Tesla makes software defined vehicles using zonal centralized computing. Automotive Legacies are not there. They are doing little bits and pieces and trying to bring the entire legacy supply chain along with them. Don't expect those Tesla features you mentioned until Ford's Gen 2 BEV's. How much money are you willing to spend for those features by switching to CT? Sentry mode is great but uses up to 7% of battery a day if left on. I found myself turning it off frequently during a week long road trip in my TMY LR. Dashcams are cheap now and work pretty well. Autopilot is very good, but still nags too much and the vision based system is not fully baked and wonky. My Pro with 360 camera, BSM, proximity sensors, cross traffic alert, large mirrors, big back window, is easier to park and navigate despite its size vs my TMY.

 

[Silenze]

No. Ford is too busy removing features like active park assist. Not trying to improve or add features

 

[ElectricTexan]

Tesla makes software defined vehicles using zonal centralized computing. Automotive Legacies are not there. They are doing little bits and pieces and trying to bring the entire legacy supply chain along with them. Don't expect those Tesla features you mentioned until Ford's Gen 2 BEV's. How much money are you willing to spend for those features by switching to CT? Sentry mode is great but uses up to 7% of battery a day if left on. I found myself turning it off frequently during a week long road trip in my TMY LR. Dashcams are cheap now and work pretty well. Autopilot is very good, but still nags too much and the vision based system is not fully baked and wonky. My Pro with 360 camera, BSM, proximity sensors, cross traffic alert, large mirrors, big back window, is easier to park and navigate despite its size vs my TMY.

Aftermarket dashcams are far inferior to Tesla in my opinion. The ability to capture side angles is huge.

Only speaking for myself here, but I could see myself dishing out the cash for the cybertruck, but it all depends on how the lightning V2 looks. The rear steering, air suspension, and software features are what I like about Tesla. But I love the size of the frunk on the lightning, and I'd need to see the bed of the cybertruck to see if that makes sense.

 

[GDN]

Aftermarket dashcams are far inferior to Tesla in my opinion. The ability to capture side angles is huge.

Only speaking for myself here, but I could see myself dishing out the cash for the cybertruck, but it all depends on how the lightning V2 looks. The rear steering, air suspension, and software features are what I like about Tesla. But I love the size of the frunk on the lightning, and I'd need to see the bed of the cybertruck to see if that makes sense.

The frunk on the second gen Ford won’t be anything like the current truck. The second gen will be more like all the other trucks in the pipeline.

 

[Ventorum94]

I've now had my lightning Lariat ER for 1 year. Overall I am a huge fan, and I constantly recommend EVs and the lightning in particular to friends/coworkers. However I am slightly disappointed with a few things:

1 - the predicted range is a pipe dream, even when I am driving like a senior citizen I find my actual consumption atleast 20% more than projected. In cold weather at high speeds I may burn thru 45 miles of range in a 15 mile commute. This doesn't negatively impact my driving or charging style, but it is disappointing to say the least.

2- after owning the vehicle for the year i still don't think I've had an update to bluecruise. I've had a map's update, but the functionality and performance remain unchanged.

3- the OTA updates also do not seem to be providing any meaningful increases to functionality. I did really enjoy the UX changes that added the camera icon and increased functionality with the volume dial, but beyond that I haven't really seen much improvement over the year in comparison so Tesla OTAs.

What I really want to see are Ford equivalents to Tesla's: camp mode, dog mode, sentry mode, and dashcam feature.

Does anyone think we're going to eventually get features like that? @Ford Motor Company is this in the pipeline?

I have a late reservation for the cybertruck, I may change vehicles when the time comes if these features aren't available, but id prefer to keep my lightning, but have comparable features.

Ford’s software updates remain an enigma. As an example, this past July a meaningful and appreciated improvement was made via OTA update: a current SOC display was added to the instrument cluster in place of the static “100%.” Problem is, it was only applied to certain trucks (mainly ‘22s), and even latest-production trucks are missing this important feature. It’s puzzling that Ford software updates are not cumulative (where all updates eventually get pushed to all trucks, and latest production vehicles are manufactured with all previous updates). It’s as though hardware modules vary, with some updatable and others not. I know the Lightning doesn’t have the Tesla central-processing architecture, but the failure to communicate OTA update strategies and general lack of transparency about the process is disappointing, and in 2023, frankly amateurish and contemptuous of early-adopter owners.

 

[Randall Stephens]

No. Ford is too busy removing features like active park assist. Not trying to improve or add features

My lariat has active park assist, did they remove it?

 

[F150ROD]

Tesla updates aren't that much better.

Every two or three weeks I get a Tesla update that says "Minor Fixes" with no real information.

You won't get any of those modes because frankly they are just gimmicks, except for Sentry Mode.

If Ford didn't add any of this to the Mach-E dont expect it on the Lightning. Just get the Cybertruck when you get a chance.

 

[Silenze]

My lariat has active park assist, did they remove it?

Yes from all 2024. See the order guide

 

[bydabeach]

Yes from all 2024. See the order guide

Will that help the resale value of the 2022 models?

 

[ElectricTexan]

Tesla updates aren't that much better.

Every two or three weeks I get a Tesla update that says "Minor Fixes" with no real information.

You won't get any of those modes because frankly they are just gimmicks, except for Sentry Mode.

If Ford didn't add any of this to the Mach-E dont expect it on the Lightning. Just get the Cybertruck when you get a chance.

Are there features available on Mach-Es that aren't available on lightnings? Or do some updates go to Mach-Es first? I'm not familiar with anything else ford is doing to be honest.

 

[ElectricTexan]

The frunk on the second gen Ford won’t be anything like the current truck. The second gen will be more like all the other trucks in the pipeline.

What do you mean by the second generation frunk will be like all the others in the pipeline? Smaller, less features, no frunk? I'm not too familiar with other models or if there have been any leaks about what is to come.

 

[MichaelCA]

Mach-E's do usually get a light head start on OTAs. Its probably because theres more MachE customers and they were first. Bluecruise 1.3 is coming soon™ . Dash cam is unlikely, i don't believe we have a USB spot meant for it.

 

[dww]

My wife and I just bought our Lariat ER on Saturday. We have had Teslas since 2018. I did not realize how I would instantly feel the loss of the Tesla software/app/ecosystem/features that were not apparent after a test drive. On paper I had decided that the usable truck features in the Ford were going to be better than the CT (frunk, AC power, towing options, visibility, room in cab) and that may be still be so but there are a lot of “livability” issues that nobody outside Tesla realizes (you listed the ones I felt first). Another example, our car was in the SA car show, they had removed the horn fuse and the service dept was closed when we finished the sale. I’m suppose to go back today to get it fixed. I went by AZ on Sunday to buy one so I don’t have to go but it is a size they don’t carry. If this was Tesla they would send a “mobile ranger” to where my car was parked and it would take 0 time from my day. My guess is this trip to the dealer will be 1/2 a work day for a fuse. I’m sorry for the rant, I really want to like this truck.

**Update on this. My salesman talked to the service department and said they would not have taken the fuse from the car, that it would be in a spare location and to check the back of the fuse box cover for the diagram. No diagram but the fuse was taped to the back of the cover. No trip needed!

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