Chevrolet took advantage of the eighth-generation Corvette’s over-the-air software update system to resolve reports of bonnets flying open while driving. In a video above posted on YouTube, Tadge Juechter, the model’s executive chief engineer, used his personal 2020 Corvette to demonstrate the changes his team had made.
Several owners complained that the hood of their Corvette (or, in 2020-speaking, its frunk) opened unexpectedly while driving. Some were able to stop and close, but others noted that the incident had damaged the hood, the hinges, or both. Chevrolet looked at the reports and accused them of user error, not a design or manufacturing flaw, but nevertheless asked its engineers to find a solution. And nonetheless, GM will reimburse owners for repairs.
Juechter explained that previously opening the hood had to press a button on the key fob twice in quick succession, but his team realized that this could easily happen by accident while the key fob is in the driver’s pocket. To release the panel, you have to press the frunk button once, then press the button again and hold it for a few seconds.
Autoblog has learned from a Chevrolet spokesperson that the update has already been shipped to Corvette owners. “They will get a message on the infotainment screen explaining the download process. They will have to accept the update,” the representative added. It is faster and much more convenient than taking the car to a dealer.
This isn’t the Corvette’s first over-the-air update. In August 2020, Chevrolet modified the Body Control Module to reduce the voltage needed to wake the car from sleep mode after it has been parked for more than 10 minutes. This causes the emergency release button to open the hood even when the car’s electronics are asleep, letting someone (“a little person,” according to Chevrolet) get out of the frunk unaided.
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