What software updates should Ford add to the lightning?

[Mr. Flibble]

There are a lot of physical things that we could discuss about adding to the Lightning. Given over the air updates, there are a lot of features that can be added through software. One of them that should copy Tesla directly is the ability to add a USB Stick to one of the ports, and use it to constantly record the 360 cams:

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/threads/ford-cam.4434/

(Note, I do not believe that this should be uploaded to the cloud, locally to USB is enough. You want cloud? Put in a Raspberry Pi with a cellular modem and send the feed to the cloud yourself).

The results from Tesla's are great:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbMoDtZ6Ani-eyHzCvxeVCw

So, I vote for all cameras recording to USB in a constant loop as a software update - what else? (I also think Ford should at least partially embrace the idea of "Beta" software like Tesla does, but it should be opt-in.)

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[cag]

Adaptive high beams please

 

[Mr. Flibble]

Adaptive high beams please

Won't they already include that?

https://www.ford.com/support/how-to...-features/how-do-the-adaptive-headlamps-work/

 

[RickLightning]

Even if they weren't included, you're not going to get adaptive high beams with a software upgrade, which is the title of the thread...

 

[vandy1981]

I'd vote for Dog Mode and on-demand, en route battery preconditioning.

Even if they weren't included, you're not going to get adaptive high beams with a software upgrade, which is the title of the thread...

Until recently, software activation was a possibility. The higher trims on the Gen14 F150 ICE had adaptive (matrix) headlight hardware, but the option is not available on the F150 ICE in the USA or Canada as of MY2022, Job 2. The Canada spec sheet for the Lightning doesn't have them listed so I don't think software update will be a possibility.

They were enabled in Canada since their highway regulations allowed for adaptive headlights and could be activated in the USA via FORScan. NHTSA regulations recently changed to allow matrix headlights so maybe they'll bring the hardware back at some point.

 

[F150ROD]

I want the cameras, that’s pretty much it

 

[VeganF150]

1) Watch Netflix when parked and charging
2)Dog mode
3) Record all cameras mode for security
4)Able to turn sidelight on mirrors on at any speed
5)Able to turn on the front/ rear camera at any speed and stay on
6) able to Disable double honk
7)able to stream video from phone to screen
8) able to customize background of screen
9) able to customize font on screen
10) able to move items around on screen to customize where everything is
11) able to customize start up screen movie
12) able to have a sport button( digital) on screen or whatever mode and lock that icon( or whatever) location
13) able to deselect fm/am, xm, or any media source when cycling through so don’t have to go through 10 sources to get to the one you want when pushing the button on the steering wheel
That’s all I got

 

[GDN]

I've asked a couple of questions about the headlights. I thought the headlights on the Lariat and Platinum were the ones that could via SW be enabled for the Glare Free used in Canada. I could be wrong, but thought that was the LED Projectors we have.

The current Model 3 and Y headlights don't do anything fancy in the US YET, but should soon now that the NHTSA has allowed it. They are Matrix LED's.

They have so much control, that when they released the Light Show in December, the headlights can be controlled to the point they can project letters and spell Tesla during the playback.

Check the 1:05 mark here -

 

[Mr. Flibble]

1) Watch Netflix when parked and charging
2)Dog mode
3) Record all cameras mode for security
4)Able to turn sidelight on mirrors on at any speed
5)Able to turn on the front/ rear camera at any speed and stay on
6) able to Disable double honk
7)able to stream video from phone to screen
8) able to customize background of screen
9) able to customize font on screen
10) able to move items around on screen to customize where everything is
11) able to customize start up screen movie
12) able to have a sport button( digital) on screen or whatever mode and lock that icon( or whatever) location
13) able to deselect fm/am, xm, or any media source when cycling through so don’t have to go through 10 sources to get to the one you want when pushing the button on the steering wheel
That’s all I got

Oh, some good ideas there. Screen Mirroring your phone while parked for watching movies? Totally agree.

Dog Mode? - absofreakinglutely.

I think you can already disable double honk in the F150 menu settings if I am not mistaken?

 

[GDN]

Truly the absolute #1 thing I hope they get right is the ability to do Over the Air updates right and hope they won't be afraid to use them to continue making this truck more is than the day it rolls off the lot. That is where Tesla kicks ass.

 

[GDN]

Oh, some good ideas there. Screen Mirroring your phone while parked for watching movies? Totally agree.

Dog Mode? - absofreakinglutely.

I think you can already disable double honk in the F150 menu settings if I am not mistaken?

Screen mirroring might be OK, but Tesla doesn't allow it. They have it built in. Full browser, along with Youtube, Netflix and other support.

 

[beatle]

Truly the absolute #1 thing I hope they get right is the ability to do Over the Air updates right and hope they won't be afraid to use them to continue making this truck more is than the day it rolls off the lot. That is where Tesla kicks ass.

As long as they don't use them to cripple the truck's features, charging speed, or performance, I agree with you. OTA updates have been a double edged sword for many Tesla owners.

As far as a software wishlist:
1. API access. This gives you the ability to log data about the vehicle. Info like energy consumption, drive maps, charging stats, max speed, temperature graphs, etc. 3rd party services like TeslaFi have been so useful in knowing more about the car and its health and capabilities.

2. 3rd party apps that don't rely on Android Auto or Carplay. A lot of people like those services (including me) but built in apps can be even better and integrate better with the in-vehicle navigation. I actually prefer Waze or Google navigation most of the time, but having intel on the SoC at my destination and being able to tell the car where to go immediately or even before I get in the car is nice. It also doesn't look like you can view navigation and music streaming simultaneously in the Lightning. Hopefully I'm wrong about that.

3. "Summon" features. I don't need my truck to come to me in a parking lot, but being able to back it out of or into a tight parking space would be nice. I use this feature on my Model S more than I thought I would.

4. Sentry mode. This might be harder than we think, but I'm pulling for it anyway. Writing to USB is fine with me, preferably a USB SSD.

 

[GDN]

As long as they don't use them to cripple the truck's features, charging speed, or performance, I agree with you. OTA updates have been a double edged sword for many Tesla owners.

As far as a software wishlist:
1. API access. This gives you the ability to log data about the vehicle. Info like energy consumption, drive maps, charging stats, max speed, temperature graphs, etc. 3rd party services like TeslaFi have been so useful in knowing more about the car and its health and capabilities.

2. 3rd party apps that don't rely on Android Auto or Carplay. A lot of people like those services (including me) but built in apps can be even better and integrate better with the in-vehicle navigation. I actually prefer Waze or Google navigation most of the time, but having intel on the SoC at my destination and being able to tell the car where to go immediately or even before I get in the car is nice. It also doesn't look like you can view navigation and music streaming simultaneously in the Lightning. Hopefully I'm wrong about that.

3. "Summon" features. I don't need my truck to come to me in a parking lot, but being able to back it out of or into a tight parking space would be nice. I use this feature on my Model S more than I thought I would.

4. Sentry mode. This might be harder than we think, but I'm pulling for it anyway. Writing to USB is fine with me, preferably a USB SSD.

Your number 1 would be great. I've reached out to two guys that are the most popular apps that support Tesla. Neither are interested in trying to support Ford at all. The main reason is too few vehicles on the road. Their income has gone through the roof with Tesla and info on Ford is too hard to get.

Teslafi is incredible at automatically tracking every charge, temps at charge, efficiency, mapping my drives, giving me full scheduled remote to charging and to the car, tracking software updates, geofenced control. They could port to Ford in a heartbeat if they just had access to a reliable stream of data, but both said it wasn't worth their time to try.

 

[150ish]

Fix the constant CarPlay problems.

 

[Mr. Flibble]

Your number 1 would be great. I've reached out to two guys that are the most popular apps that support Tesla. Neither are interested in trying to support Ford at all. The main reason is too few vehicles on the road. Their income has gone through the roof with Tesla and info on Ford is too hard to get.

Teslafi is incredible at automatically tracking every charge, temps at charge, efficiency, mapping my drives, giving me full scheduled remote to charging and to the car, tracking software updates, geofenced control. They could port to Ford in a heartbeat if they just had access to a reliable stream of data, but both said it wasn't worth their time to try.

Oh, that is a really good point. I thought the API was more open. Mostly based on this post in Home Assistant around the FordPass app:

https://community.home-assistant.io/t/fordpass-integration/136778/12

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