Cars are starting to fix their own recalls overnight—here’s how it works

About 10 years ago, a software update for your vehicle, as if it were your smartphone, was rare enough to make the news. Tesla owners were often the only ones who were aware of it and talking about it. In 2018, Consumer Reports tested a new Model 3 and clocked its stopping distance from 60 miles per hour at 152 feet, seven feet longer than a Ford F-150. Tesla responded with a wireless update to the anti-lock braking software, a fix that allowed the Model 3 to stop in 133 feet without a physical repair.