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Software Updates for Large-Scale Autonomous Vehicles Deployment: Challenges and Opportunities
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AI
DOI：10.1109/MIC.2025.3643221.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
As self-driving vehicles transition from experimental prototypes to commercial fleets, they rely on increasingly complex software that must evolve regularly to stay safe and competitive. This article examines the primary challenges of software over-the-air (OTA) updates for large-scale autonomous vehicle (AV) deployments and outlines the technical and operational frameworks for managing these challenges. We argue that OTA capability is not optional but essential for fleet safety and competitiveness. Nevertheless, the complexity of AV code bases, the fragility of tightly coupled systems, the logistics of phased rollouts, network limitations, and cybersecurity threats all complicate updates. By posing key questions that engineers and operators must address—and by grounding the discussion in recent incidents involving Waymo and Zoox—we demonstrate how careful architecture, simulation-driven validation, robust security, and scalable infrastructure can transform OTA into a reliable pillar of AV operations. We conclude with research directions for the next decade of OTA development.
Keywords:
Wireless networks
Prototypes
Transforms
Reliability engineering
Software
Safety
Software reliability
Telemetry
Autonomous vehicles
Logistics