Automotive OTA Research: 3.838 Million Passenger Cars Packed OTA Capability in China in 2019, Soaring by 60.6% Year on Year
Against all odds, controversial Tesla and NIO were eventually out of the woods. What they live on is FOTA (Firmware-over-the-air). Upgrading software and hardware provides new experience for car owners, making them more satisfied and very loyal.

Even nowadays, few vehicle models enable FOTA, really a hard nut to crack.

Considering safety and FOTA challenges, traditional automakers mostly choose to tap into vehicle system SOTA (Software-over-the-air) and act prudently in FOTA promotion. Through the lens of a typical FOTA flow, realizing FOTA needs E/E architecture disruption, and the support of new technologies like automotive Ethernet, cyber security, intelligent gateway, great computing power, and large memory.

Conventional OEMs have made slow progress in FOTA development over the past several years. Yet they took a big step forward in 2019. It can be seen from the table below that there is a gap between main OEMs and Tesla. Success of Tesla Model 3 weighs so heavily on traditional automakers that they are highly endangered except sweating for rapid transformation.

VW is the most aggressive among OEMs, while its counterparts are also working hard. The race to roll out intelligent gateway chip in early 2020 is a reflection of OEM’s eager hoping to enable FOTA as early as possible just as Tesla has done.
Installation of SOTA easier to realize is soaring in both volume and rate. In 2019, 3.838 million passenger cars, or 19% of the total, were provided with SOTA, jumping by 60.6% compared with 2.39 million units, or 11.8% of the total in 2018, according to ResearchInChina.
Among typical OEMs, GM leads in OTA capability. Its new-generation electronic architecture enables FOTA updates on its ICE models, which means OTA is available to recalibrate or upgrade engine and transmission control modules, vehicle communication system, entertainment system, driving control and body control ECU at a later stage.
In 2020, Buick’s latest interconnection system, eConnect3.0 enables OTA updates of 9 major models such as OnStar module, IVI system, intelligent driving control module, body control module, and iBooster brake booster.
In 2020, the latest Cadillac CT5 model will pack GM’s new electronic architecture. CT5 allows OTA updates of more than 30 vehicle control modules including software modules (e.g., IVI and smart connectivity) and firmware electronic modules (e.g., powertrain, chassis and electrical control).
GM plans to apply its next-generation E/E architecture to most of its car lineups before 2023.
Chinese companies that excel in application layer innovation already make plenty of OTA micro-innovations. Examples include SAIC providing personalized OTA -- DOTA, and BYD and XPENG Motors both offering high temperature disinfection capability enabled by OTA updates.

In April 2020, BYD announced its new models like Tang added with “high temperature disinfection capability” enabled by OTA updates. This capability is not simple upgrade and introduction but involves a complete set of OTA-based working logic of multiple ECUs (e.g., multimedia, air-conditioner controller and PTC heater) in a safe way.
Research Report on Application of VLA Large Model in Automobiles and Robots, 2026
Research on Automotive and Robot VLA: Hybrid Architectures Become Mainstream, VLA Integrates with General World Models, and Reinforcement Learning Serves as Core Engine
Vision?Language?Action (VLA) m...
China Charging Infrastructure (Supercharging, Battery Swapping, V2G, etc.) and High-Performance Supercharging Battery Research Report, 2026
Charging and battery swapping research: as 5C+ supercharging vehicle models go into mass production, the pace of OEMs self-building supercharging networks quickens
800-1000V high-voltage platforms ar...
China Passenger Car Electronic Controlled Suspension Industry Report, 2026
Electronic Controlled Suspension Industry Research: As the First Year of Full Active Suspension Unfolds, Three Technical Routes Race Forward
1. Penetration Rate Surges Three Times, and Electronic Con...
Intelligent Driving SoC Research Report, 2026
Research on Intelligent Driving SoCs: Competition Focus Shifts to L3/L4 Embedded Hardware, and Computing Power of Flagship Vehicle Models Exceeds 1,000 TOPS
In terms of intelligent driving system in...
Automotive AI Large Model Technology Research Report, 2026
Automotive AI Large Model Research: Competition Shifts from "Who Has the Stronger Model" to "Who Boasts Higher Link Efficiency"
ResearchInChina released the Automotive AI Large Model Technology Resea...
Intelligent Vehicle Cockpit Domain Controller Research Report, 2026
Cockpit domain controller research: L3 AIDV intelligent cockpit domain controllers are entering a boom period
Driven by multiple factors such as the continuous evolution of the automotive central int...
Automotive Acoustic System (Audio, Multi-Channel) Industry Report, 2026
Automotive Acoustics Research: Multiple Channels, AI Tuning, and Self-Developed Algorithms Drive the Transformation of High-End Cockpit Sound Fields
I. Automotive Audio Hardware Solutions with 6–9 S...
Autonomous Driving Sensor Chip Research Report, 2026
Research on Autonomous Driving Sensor Chips: Deeply Perceiving the Physical World, Sensor Chips Are Playing A “Leading Role” in Intelligence
In 2026, the autonomous driving sensor chip industr...
Passenger Car Corner Module and Wheel‑Side Control System Research Report, 2026
Wheel-side control research: the “last mile” chassis innovation
Wheel-side control dismantles the traditional drive, braking, steering, and suspension control of the chassis from a "centralized" styl...
Embodied Artificial Intelligence (& Humanoid Robot) MCU Research Report, 2026
Research on Humanoid Robot MCUs: Evolution from General-Purpose Control to High-Value Dedicated Chip Solutions Integrated with Edge AI Functions
MCU (Microcontroller Unit) refers to a compact integra...
Intelligent Vehicle Zone Control Unit (ZCU) Research Report, 2026
ZCU Research: Cross-domain integrated ZCUs are becoming the edge computing nodes of the next-generation zonal architecture
Currently, the mainstream zonal architecture is mainly the quasi-central + z...
Automotive Cybersecurity and Data Security Research Report, 2026
Cybersecurity & Data Security Research: Intelligent Connected Vehicles Enter the Era of “Systematic Offense-Defense and AI-Defined Security”.
Centering on the panorama of intelligent connect...
Report on Breakthrough Strategies of OEMs and ADAS Tier 1 Suppliers for Overseas Layout of Intelligent Driving, 2026
Regulatory Breakthrough, Local System Establishment, OEMs Competing for NOA Layout: Overall Trends of China’s Intelligent Driving Overseas Layout in 2026
Research on overseas intelligent driving layo...
OEMs and Tier1s’ Intelligent Cockpit Platform (Hardware and Software) Innovation Strategy Research Report, 2026
Intelligent Cockpit Platform Research: multi-dimensional cockpit system architecture reconstruction for multi-agent collaboration and proactive intelligent services
The intelligent cockpit software s...
Automotive AIOS Research Report, 2026
Automotive AIOS Research: Mass Production Solutions Are Implemented
Mass Production Solutions Are Implemented on A Small Scale.
In 2026, AIOS starts small-scale implementation, helping to improve v...
Automotive Telematics Service Provider (TSP) Research Report, 2026
TSP Research: Leading providers collectively turn to AI agents to provide all-scenario active services
Telematics Service Providers (TSPs) are the core hub of the telematics industry chain, connectin...
Automotive Smart Interior Research Report, 2026
Smart Interior Research: As Technologies like Interactive Starlight Headliner, Hidden Display and Surface Projection Are Launched, Automotive Interiors Become Ever More Intelligent
The Automotive Sma...
Research Report on AI Applications in Cockpits, 2026
AI Application in Cockpits: AI Services Become More Comprehensive, Convenient, and Refined.
In the first half of 2026, cockpit AI functions underwent initial upgrades across multiple dimensions, inc...