Automakers Rush Development, Compromising Quality—OTA Can't Fix Hardware Shortcomings

Amid fierce competition, automakers have drastically shortened R&D cycles, reducing vehicle development timelines from the traditional 3–5 years to as little as 18 months or even less. This acceleration has led to significantly curtailed hardware and software validation processes. Some companies now overly rely on over-the-air (OTA) updates for post-launch fixes. In one notable case, a leading automaker pushed an advanced driver-assistance software update containing safety flaws, which contributed to an accident, prompting the responsible executive to resign. Hardware issues are even harder to address via OTA updates. For instance, some electric vehicle battery packs enter mass production when their capacity has already degraded by 80–90%, with potential safety risks only becoming apparent years later. In response, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has mandated reliability testing and introduced stricter regulations governing OTA management. To further accelerate development, automakers are increasingly adopting modular platforms and maximizing component reuse—often exceeding 70% reuse rates. For example, Geely has managed to move certain projects from supplier selection to mass production in just six months, cutting validation time by three to six months. However, this intense pace is pushing engineering teams to their limits.