Yahoo Autos Lucid OTA Software Update Adds Driver-Assist Features
Lucid's latest software update comes with upgrades for driver assists and voice commands.
Busy highway driving should now be less of a chore with new visualizations, one-touch automated lane changing, and upgrades to stop-and-go traffic assistance.
There are also a few convenience tweaks based on feedback from Lucid Air owners.
The Lucid Air has pretty much every attribute you want out of a battery-electric luxury sedan: lightning-quick acceleration, plenty of space, and a futuristic look that sets it apart in traffic. But modern consumers expect their executive sedans to keep pace with the competition—not just in a physical way, but in the software department.
To that end, Lucid is now rolling out a major over-the-air update for its onboard tech, including tweaks to automated driver assists and an onboard voice command system.
Installing update 2.4 works just like getting the latest upgrades for your smartphone software, and it can be completed remotely even if you're not near your actual Air. As you'd expect from a company based in Silicon Valley, the bulk of the updates are designed to make the drudgery of commuting on traffic-clogged highways less of a burden.
DreamDrive Pro Gets High-Def Maps
Lucid's upgrades to its advanced driver-assistance system, dubbed DreamDrive Pro, includes new high-def highway maps and a 3D visualization of what the car is “seeing” in the instrument panel. The system functions even on very winding roads, slowing automatically when the road gets twisty, but what will likely be of more interest to Air owners is the extension of the stop-and-go traffic functionality. Now, even if you're stopped in traffic for an extended period, the car will resume motion as long as the driver is looking forward.
Further, Apple CarPlay navigation turn-by-turn instructions are now shown in the instrument panel. And, as is the case with some other manufacturers' advanced driver-assist systems, a long press on the turn signal will now make the Air automatically change lanes.
Further items in the update include a hands-free voice assistant that functions like Amazon's Alexa or Google. Just hit the microphone button or say "Hey Lucid," and you can control various settings by voice.
A few other tweaks, based on feedback from owners, include the parking distance warning and displays turning off at a threshold of 6 mph and above, and speed upgrades for the Lucid mobile app. HomeLink controls are now displayed when the car is in reverse, making backing the Air into your garage more seamless.
The upgrades are all useful and will doubtless be welcomed by those who already own an Air. However, there's nothing here that's pushing the envelope, merely adding functionality you can already get from Tesla or Rivian. However, Lucid did note that the DreamDrive Pro features are now part of its in-house software, meaning that future tweaks will be simple to roll out.
Overall, update 2.4 keeps Lucid abreast of the competition as it waits to roll out its upcoming Gravity crossover. The good news, if you're already parking an Air in your driveway, is that an already excellent driving experience just got that little bit better.
You Might Also Like
