[Infiniti Man]

I understand that previous threads about the impending software update have been closed and locked. With that said, I am a bit reluctant to post a new thread. However, I have come across some info from a reliable source that some of you may be interested in so I thought I'd pass it along.

One of my best friends owns an Infiniti dealership in British Columbia (I'd prefer not to mention the name of his dealership or what city it's located in).

At the beginning of June, he ordered me a 3.7 Q50 AWD Sport with the Deluxe Touring And Technology Package. My car arrived at his dealership on July 2nd.

At first, he told me I could take the car home on July 4th after a required software update was installed. That date later changed to August 5th.

I was talking to him about my car today, and he mentioned this:

The update will arrive in early August and his service department will do the install. HOWEVER, he cannot let me take the car home until a representative of Infiniti corporate physically comes to his dealership, does an audit of my car to ensure the necessary update has been installed, and signs off on it.
The representative is scheduled to do the Audit on Aug 12th. My friend could not get an earlier date booked.

I will not be able to take my car home until the 12th, possibly the 13th.

I suspect others whose cars have arrived at their dealer will be in the same boat as me…

 

[Q50Aggie]

Let's hope not.

 

[klimchuk]

It sounds too complicated to visit EVERY dealership and check EVERY car.
Unless it's only for British Columbia

 

[maddsiick]

Yeah that sounds like it could delay alot of us from getting our cars then if that is case

 

[Infiniti Man]

It sounds too complicated to visit EVERY dealership and check EVERY car.
Unless it's only for British Columbia

I agree. However, someone from Infinti is definitely scheduled to "audit" my car on August 12th, and until that someone signs off on the audit, the sale cannot be completed.

 

[Gandhi]

The personal visit and audit has got to be the dumbest think I have ever heard. Not that I am saying the OP is wrong. With the car capable of phoning home using Infiniti Connection, how hard would it be for them to check on the firmware int he car by simply having the car connect and upload the info.

 

[Infiniti Man]

The personal visit and audit has got to be the dumbest think I have ever heard. Not that I am saying the OP is wrong. With the car capable of phoning home using Infiniti Connection, how hard would it be for them to check on the firmware int he car by simply having the car connect and upload the info.

When he mentioned the audit, the first thought that jumped into my mind was that Infiniti would do it remotely via the Q50's telematics. I was surprised to learn that it would be done by a human coming onsite and touching the car.

Perhaps Infiniti has no way of verifying remotely.

 

[SimpsonTide985]

I would not be surprised a single bit if this turned out to be true...

 

[Gandhi]

When he mentioned the audit, the first thought that jumped into my mind was that Infiniti would do it remotely via the Q50's telematics. I was surprised to learn that it would be done by a human coming onsite and touching the car.

Perhaps Infiniti has no way of verifying remotely.

Okay, then use smartphones and Skype/Facetime and literally watch them implement the firmware update.

Unless they are employing an army of 500 auditors, this in-person verification is too cumbersome and would take way too long.

It would have made sense if they had held all the cars at the L.A. port and did in person audits on all of them in one spot - would have taken couple of days. But instead they shipped them out to dealerships across North America and now want to do in-person audits? Totally a$$-backwards.

 

[Infiniti Man]

Okay, then use smartphones and Skype/Facetime and literally watch them implement the firmware update.

Unless they are employing an army of 500 auditors, this in-person verification is too cumbersome and would take way too long.

It would have made sense if they had held all the cars at the L.A. port and did in person audits on all of them in one spot - would have taken couple of days. But instead they shipped them out to dealerships across North America and now want to do in-person audits? Totally a$$-backwards.

Back in June when I ordered the car, I was told it would arrive around the second week of August.

When it showed up a month early, I was told that Nissan had run out of room at the port in Japan and had no choice but to send out a ship load.

I assume that the port in Vancouver had no room to store the cars (or refused to do so), and that's why the cars arrived at the dealer.

I'm also assuming that if my car had been kept at the port in Vancouver, the SW update would be done at the port, on, or close to, August 5th, and then shipped to the dealer.

My guess is that because the install can't be done at the port by Infinti, someone has to go around to all the dealers to verify the update has been performed before Infiniti will allow sale completions.

As mentioned in my original post, I am getting the info about the required audit from a close friend who's been a Nissan and Infiniti dealer for many years. As such, he communicates with Nissan and Infiniti directly, and I trust that what's he's telling me is accurate and correct.

I'm hoping he's wrong, but I don't think I'm going to get that lucky.

When we get closer to the update install date, I will ask my friend if I can stop by and watch the update get installed on my car. If I can, I will record a video of the process and post it.

 

[CarolinaQ50]

I really hope that this is not true. This would be even more disappointing and wouldn't look very good for Infiniti.

I understand that they don't want to release the cars before the proper software updates, and I wouldn't want to have to continue to keep visiting the dealer, but......

 

[Doyle]

This is one of those "only time will tell" scenarios. Clearly the concern is that this update is not just an intellitouch issue but either a safety or performance issue. Again, speculation buys us nothing. I guess I shouldn't feel too bad at this point about my car not being built until Aug 13 as it should have the proper update in it.

 

[greenhut]

Its worth noting that this vehicle, perhaps more than any other, is controlled by its software. The computer can apply steering, braking, throttle and more. In a car, this is life or death. Should there be significant software defects that could lead to passenger safety issues, it could do irreperable brand damage. Don't want to speculate, but requiring a hands on audit of every car is not so conservative if there are such potential issues.

I've been doing software all my life - while I am excited to get a Q50, giving up control of the car to the computer is a bit scary. Over time, such advancements will clearly save more lives than they cost, but it probably won't be long until some car kills somebody in an attempt to save them.

 

[Gandhi]

Should there be significant software defects that could lead to passenger safety issues, it could do irreperable brand damage.

They would not be allowing test drives if that were the case.

On another note, Infiniti previously announced August 5 as the on sale date. The press reported it as a delay (http://www.autonews.com/article/20130709/RETAIL/130709895#axzz2a0lWuEZj). Another delay will look bad.

 

[greenhut]

They would not be allowing test drives if that were the case.

They aren't supposed to be doing test drives. It appears a few slipped through the cracks, but most dealers are not allowing test drives.

 

[Q50Aggie]

They aren't supposed to be doing test drives. It appears a few slipped through the cracks, but most dealers are not allowing test drives.

Not true

 

[vices]

I'm very worried that it's not just an in touch thing, especially with the new drive by wire thing going on.

I only read about the August 5 date on this forum (and from Kuni / Kirkland Infiniti - can't remember which one). Has that date actually been confirmed with an official Infiniti press release??

 

[Gandhi]

They aren't supposed to be doing test drives. It appears a few slipped through the cracks, but most dealers are not allowing test drives.

I have *scheduled* a test drive with my dealer for this Saturday. My dealer told me Infiniti is allowing test drives, just not sales till August 5

 

[vices]

I have *scheduled* a test drive with my dealer for this Saturday. My dealer told me Infiniti is allowing test drives, just not sales till August 5

We have 2 dealers here in the Seattle area 15mi from each other. One allows test drives, one doesn't (per "Infiniti's orders")

 

[afrosheen]

I've been doing software all my life - while I am excited to get a Q50, giving up control of the car to the computer is a bit scary. Over time, such advancements will clearly save more lives than they cost, but it probably won't be long until some car kills somebody in an attempt to save them.

Only nobody is giving up control to any of the software, no more than a regular car with a standard ECU. It can brake for you in emergencies, but they didn't remove the brake pedal. It can speed up to maintain a following distance, but the throttle pedal is there. The steering wheel has 3 parallel computers for redundancy and emergencies, plus a hydraulic linkage in case ALL 3 fail.

Let's keep the panic to a minimum shall we? We'll know after August 5th if the software is good to go or not. The test drive I did last weekend didn't hint at major problems for Intouch or any other system, and there was no big warning sticker over it or a salesman telling me not to touch it. In fact, it was very positive overall. The car is a worthy upgrade even without the new tech package.