Your Phone Gets Five Years of Updates by Law. Your Car Gets Nothing
Carmakers cannot guarantee the longevity of software-defined cars, and the industry acknowledges this. Two responses are already on record. In Europe, while phones are regulated for five years of updates and support, cars are left untouched.
The Current Situation
- Robert Ferris posed this question to forecasters and executives for CNBC on August 15, 2026.
- The average American car is 12.8 years old, according to Mobility Global’s data.
- New cars cost approximately $50,000, but car manufacturers are hesitant to commit to their longevity.
Existing Answers
- Tesla claimed in 2016 that every car they built had the hardware for full self-driving capabilities. Elon Musk reaffirmed this in 2019 and, in April 2023, stated that these cars require new computers and cameras for unsupervised FSD. Tesla offers hardware upgrades or discounted trade-ins for eligible owners.
- Rivian is facing a class-action lawsuit from first-generation R1T and R1S vehicle owners who marketed hands-free, eyes-off driving. The lawsuit argues that no software update can enable these vehicles to perform as advertised.
Rivian’s Perspective
Wassym Bensaid, Rivian’s chief software officer, suggests that a software-defined vehicle is never truly stale. He claims that the least capable Rivian you’ll ever own is the one you first take delivery of. Rivian strives to build in spare capability, known as headroom, to support seven to 10 years of software upgrades.
A Precedent
This situation is reminiscent of when AT&T shut down its 3G network in 2022, causing millions of vehicles to lose emergency response, navigation, and other features. While the cars could still drive, owners were left without the paid-for features due to the network’s retirement.
Europe’s Legislation
In contrast, the EU has implemented ecodesign rules since June 20, 2025, mandating five years of operating system and security updates for smartphones and tablets. These rules also require seven years of spare parts availability and a repairability label. Germany, seeking longer support, pushed for seven years of updates, but the final EU regulation falls short.
Contradiction in Regulations
A €600 phone comes with a legal minimum support period of five years, while a €60,000 car does not. This disparity is striking, considering that the average car age in the US is over a decade.