Vehicle software upgrade techniques

Abstract

System and method for maintaining functionality of software includes initially providing the vehicle with software resident on computer-readable medium to enable it to operate and interact with components thereof and updating the vehicle software by receiving a wireless transmission from one or more remote locations, e.g., a location maintained by a dealer or manufacturer of the vehicle. The software may be diagnostic software for a diagnostic module which diagnoses operability of components of the vehicle. Different remote locations may be responsible for different portions of the vehicle-resident software and may therefore provide different software upgrades, based on need.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for monitoring components of a vehicle, comprising:
 mounting sensors on the vehicle, each sensor providing a measurement related to a state of the sensor or a measurement related to a state of a mounting location of the sensor;   processing data from the sensors using a processor on the vehicle during operation of the vehicle on a road to generate output indicative or representative of failure or expected failure of any of the components, wherein the output includes an identification of the component that has failed or is expected to fail and an identification of whether the component that has failed or is expected to fail should be either repaired or replaced; and   directing the output indicative or representative of the failure or expected failure of any of the components to a remote location using a transmission device.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the vehicle includes a passenger compartment, and further comprising:
 arranging a display in the vehicle in a position to be visible from the passenger compartment; and   displaying the output indicative or representative of the failure or expected failure of any of the components on the display.