Ford has confirmed that its first fully electric car will receive over-the-air updates that can be downloaded in the background without you even noticing.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is expected to arrive with customers later this year, but the car you buy has the potential to adapt, improve and unlock new features throughout its lifetime, without having to even leave your driveway.
Ford says the potential for over-the-air updates will go beyond simple infotainment updates to the stereo and in-car computer, as "nearly all Mach-E computer modules can be updated wirelessly, meaning Ford can deliver performance enhancements and entirely new features that might not exist when customers first take delivery of their vehicles."
Many of the updates will be downloaded during the night, and then installed when you start the engine - with some taking just two minutes, with no disruption to the usage of your car. You will be alerted that a new update has been installed and informed of what the new offering brings to the Mustang Mach-E.
However, Ford warns that more complex updates may require you to remain stationary in your vehicle for a while longer as they install.
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What new features could you expect?
As for what the "entirely new features" may be, Ford is keeping tight-lipped, but if we look at rival Tesla's over-the-updates to its Model S, Model X and Model 3 vehicles, future Mustang Mach-E owners could see improvements to range, new in-car entertainment options, enhanced security features and even the possibility of some level of autonomous driving being unlocked.
The Ford Mach-E starts at $43,895 / £40,270 (around AU$68,000) and is available for pre-order now from Ford, with the base model promising at least 280 miles of range on a single charge.
Ford says customers can expect the first over-the-air update to the Mustang Mach-E to arrive within the first six months of the car being available, which means it should land in early 2021.
