More comfort, smarter assistance and enhanced entertainment for the Porsche Macan

[QuiteBig]

In response to earlier comments about other manufacturers not delivering big changes OTA, a friend had Blue drive (auto driving) enabled on a 2.5 year Old Ford Mustang over the summer. We have had a Mini electric since Jan and are on at least our third software update, there was another one today. Will paste in a picture of the changes below. Nothing very significant, but it shows they are constantly improving.

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[CHP]

In response to earlier comments about other manufacturers not delivering big changes OTA, a friend had Blue drive (auto driving) enabled on a 2.5 year Old Ford Mustang over the summer. We have had a Mini electric since Jan and are on at least our third software update, there was another one today. Will paste in a picture of the changes below. Nothing very significant, but it shows they are constantly improving.

Porsche had a subscription model previously so not sure if this is delayed due to fair share of problems with new platform. I would like to think no one is swapping car for new features in MY26 alone but some of us would be happy to pay for some. Customer base is steadily growing so delayed start for on demand functionality would make sense.

 

[sor]

Back in March when news broke about a big week 36 software update, it was mentioned that something similar happened with Taycan, where features like wireless CarPlay were rolled out in time for manufacturing a new model year. older cars were updated to this version and also got wireless CarPlay later. That’s how they handled it five years ago.

https://www.macanevowners.com/forum/threads/new-software-version-coming-week-36-of-2025.19828/

 

[seabird]

We got some new surround sound modes in the EX90 last update. They’ve also been dropping OTAs about every 60 days, which is much needed. I believe Volvo also added digital key as an OTA, though that was before I bought. Not unheard of.

That's exactly what I mean: those (and the Mini list posted above) are bug fix updates and minor tweaks. The biggest for Volvo, the digital key, wasn't even a new feature--it was promised in the specs but just not delivered at launch because the software was so bad. Volvo, like basically everyone else, isn't investing in adding new functionality when they're so behind in just getting things to work as intended.

The Macan software has thankfully not been as nightmarishly incomplete as Volvo/Polestar's, but it was still buggy. Macan EVs have had two software updates so far, both to fix bugs and not to add features, and evidently the third is imminent. We can certainly hope for digital keys or other new functions, but Porsche hasn't given us a reason to expect them.

 

[sor]

That's exactly what I mean: those (and the Mini list posted above) are bug fix updates and minor tweaks. The biggest for Volvo, the digital key, wasn't even a new feature--it was promised in the specs but just not delivered at launch because the software was so bad. Volvo, like basically everyone else, isn't investing in adding new functionality when they're so behind in just getting things to work as intended.

The Macan software has thankfully not been as nightmarishly incomplete as Volvo/Polestar's, but it was still buggy. Macan EVs have had two software updates so far, both to fix bugs and not to add features, and evidently the third is imminent. We can certainly hope for digital keys or other new functions, but Porsche hasn't given us a reason to expect them.

Yeah, I suppose that’s true. However even Porsche updated old Taycans with wireless CarPlay support, a feature not promised but delivered after the fact.

 

[seabird]

Yeah, I suppose that’s true. However even Porsche updated old Taycans with wireless CarPlay support, a feature not promised but delivered after the fact.

Wired to wireless CarPlay isn't exactly headline news, but I suppose it's something.

 

[sor]

Wired to wireless CarPlay isn't exactly headline news, but I suppose it's something.

Honestly that’s quite a feature to add afterward. I would have held off for wireless since I use CarPlay for infotainment pretty much exclusively. And it’s not trivial in terms of tech change to support, depending more on WiFi and Bluetooth. On par to something like Apple CarKey support, assuming your car already has the right hardware.

 

[seabird]

Honestly that’s quite a feature to add afterward.

Not technologically. Adding CarPlay entirely would be a major change. Allowing the transmission layer to move from USB to wireless is just a matter of improving connection stability of the network stack so it can pass a Bluetooth connection to wifi without dropping too many packets.

And it’s not trivial in terms of tech change to support, depending more on WiFi and Bluetooth.

It's just a different medium for the data stream. It's really not a major undertaking.

On par to something like Apple CarKey support, assuming your car already has the right hardware.

No, definitely not. Digital Key infrastructure requires an entire encrypted communication stream from local reader to LTE module, a 24/7 cloud service for provisioning, and extensive authentication and failsafe development. It also requires changes to the pairing and disconnect process both in-car and for dealer service tools. And that's all on top of the existing UWB implementation, secure code matching, and anti-eavesdropping mechanisms already built for the key fobs. There is much more involved than just changing the transmission medium from a cable to a wireless network.

Not saying wireless CarPlay isn't cool, but it doesn't require any special effort other than the right network configuration.

 

[sor]

Not technologically. Adding CarPlay entirely would be a major change. Allowing the transmission layer to move from USB to wireless is just a matter of improving connection stability of the network stack so it can pass a Bluetooth connection to wifi without dropping too many packets.

It's just a different medium for the data stream. It's really not a major undertaking.

No, definitely not. Digital Key infrastructure requires an entire encrypted communication stream from local reader to LTE module, a 24/7 cloud service for provisioning, and extensive authentication and failsafe development. It also requires changes to the pairing and disconnect process both in-car and for dealer service tools. And that's all on top of the existing UWB implementation, secure code matching, and anti-eavesdropping mechanisms already built for the key fobs. There is much more involved than just changing the transmission medium from a cable to a wireless network.

Not saying wireless CarPlay isn't cool, but it doesn't require any special effort other than the right network configuration.

This is all just supposition of course, unless you’re a developer of the feature. It’s easy to hand wave these things. Digital key is just using existing UWB and NFC hardware to use a protocol already well defined and working in other AA cars, after all. Even Volvo did it. And Porsche has already implemented it for MY26

Digital key does not need internet connection.

I think going from a USB transport to IP network, testing it, fixing the edge cases for your stack and possibly upgrading drivers is a little more than a few lines of code, but I’m not a developer of it, either.

 

[sor]

I guess where I stand is if the argument is that Porsche does not and has never retrofitted features, because things like wireless CarPlay don’t count, that just seems weird to me.

We can debate what is complex enough to count as a real retrofit, but I’m not super interested in that without having real data in hand.

 

[seabird]

Digital key is just using existing UWB and NFC hardware to use a protocol already well defined and working in other AA cars, after all.

Incorrect. The digital key infrastructure is not duplicative of any of the UWB protocol except the actual code transmission. There is dedicated infrastructure required on top of what already exists.

Digital key does not need internet connection.

Again, incorrect. You don't need an internet connection to use the digital key, but you most definitely need an internet connection to provision the key in initial setup, as well as to provide delegation access and revocation support to "guest" users.

I guess where I stand is if the argument is that Porsche does not and has never retrofitted features, because things like wireless CarPlay don’t count, that just seems weird to me.

I'm not sure where you got that. No one said "never".

The reality is simply that (1) software updates for cars are not primarily used to provide new features, but instead bug fixes and previously promised features that were cut from the launch release, like CarPlay for Polestar and Digital Keys for Volvos, (2) that the new features that have occasionally been added are minor tweaks for every manufacturer apart from Tesla and Rivian, and (3) there is no reason to expect any different from the next Porsche Macan update.

There isn't a car from a legacy manufacturer, Porsche included, that has had significantly brand-new functionality developed for it post-launch.

 

[Dragon Tourniquet]

There isn't a car from a legacy manufacturer, Porsche included, that has had significantly brand-new functionality developed for it post-launch.

My 2022 BMW iX had remote parking and parking path memory added a year after release. Those features weren't on the sticker and didn't exist for the iX at release, but instead were added OTA as a purchasable option when they made them a build time option for the 2023.

 

[PorscheSweden]

In Europe, Porsche has switched to model year 2026 in the configurator on the website for all models except the Macan EV. Isn't that a bit strange?

 

[FirstEV]

In Europe, Porsche has switched to model year 2026 in the configurator on the website for all models except the Macan EV. Isn't that a bit strange?

The issues in Sweden with the Macan EV hasn’t been handled at all by Porsche Sverige. So not surprising

 

[W1NGE]

Porsche had a subscription model previously so not sure if this is delayed due to fair share of problems with new platform. I would like to think no one is swapping car for new features in MY26 alone but some of us would be happy to pay for some. Customer base is steadily growing so delayed start for on demand functionality would make sense.

CEO had already stated that sales of the Macan EV are not as strong as expected - hence the announcement of a new model for 2028 to plug the gap which will offer hybrid and ICE power. Too many lost sales and lack of foresight (making the Macan an EV only) has led to significant and material changes at Porsche.

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