Volkswagen continues to race against the clock to fix the software problems of the ID.3, its first new-generation electric car. Even though the compact has been in production since November 2019, all the units manufactured so far are being stored in various fields distributed throughout Germany, awaiting a software update.
Although the brand has announced that the 30,000 units that make up the special launch edition 1ST Edition will be delivered simultaneously throughout Europe in August. The truth is that it has been known for some time that these first units will have incomplete software. However, it will be updated via OTA in the following months, which will allow unlocking functions that will not be initially available.
Now some of the specific problems ID.3 is experiencing have been revealed. According to the German press, the hardware is working perfectly, but the software functions like recognition of traffic signs or pressure monitoring are not. The tire does not have a reliable answer. Many functions are not yet finished.
ID.3 is designed to be “always connected”, exchanging data continuously over the Internet. However, this is also causing problems: routes with planned charging stops cannot be transferred from a smartphone to the vehicle and dynamically adjusted while driving. The augmented reality Head-up Display capable of showing directional arrows on the streets “overwhelms” vehicle processors, etc.
For Volkswagen to deliver the first units in August, the most severe errors will have to be corrected at the end of June. Although initially the ID.3 will be marketed with a reduced digital offer to be updated later via OTA. It is possible that the first software update after the purchase must be carried out in a brand workshop.
For the time being, Volkswagen has not confirmed which functions will not be initially available in the vehicle, preferring “not to comment in detail on individual characteristics or variations in equipment” until the launch of the car. The brand itself has promised that the ID.3 features will be updated at regular intervals.