Tesla stans dunk on Porsche Taycan’s slow software update

The first electric Porsche Taycans are due for a software update, but it won’t be quick. 

Drivers won’t be able to push a button on the in-car screen, connect to WiFi, and update the car while in their own garage. Instead, the $100,000+ electric vehicle needs to be brought into a Porsche dealership. Once an owner has made an appointment, they should plan to be without a car for two business days. 

The update is free and it upgrades the EV’s capabilities to match the newer 2021 Taycans, with faster acceleration and more efficient battery charging, along with other improvements to the navigation system and wireless Apple CarPlay connection. 

But as Tesla fans were quick to point out when the Taycan update was announced Tuesday, this is a far cry from the established Tesla over-the-air (OTA) software update process. 

For years, Tesla has offered free updates to the cars without requiring owners to bring in the vehicle. Smaller bug fixes are frequently sent straight to owners, and Tesla also offers OTA updates for major overhauls, like when it added Spotify, Netflix, and “Caraoke” entertainment options.

Porsche did say that after this first update most of its Taycans will then be OTA compatible. So that’ll hurry up the process in the future. But there’s no guarantee that the next OTA software update will be free like Tesla’s have always been.

No matter, Tesla fans and Taycan critics took this opportunity to mock the old-school, in-person update. 

Tesla is expected to release its next big software update soon, known as Version 11. Some leaked photos from Reddit show a new screen layout.