Dear Fisker Karma Owners,
We are proud to announce that the new V530 software is available for updating the vehicles. Below you can find the specifics form Karma Automotive on all the changes the software brings.
Hello Fisker Karma owners,
It is with great pleasure that we announce the release of a new Fisker Karma software called Baseline 530. We highly recommend you to have this software installed in your vehicle by your closest Karma authorized service provider.
This software release is quite extensive and offers an improved ownership experience.
Karma Automotive LLC is pleased to provide this Baseline 530 release free of charge to you as registered Fisker Karma owners. Your Karma authorized service provider will take about 1.5 hours to complete the installation and verification of this software release. All Karma authorized service providers will have received the new software and updated tools to get it installed in your vehicle by February 26, 2016.
Baseline 530 touches four areas in your vehicle.
ECM : Engine Control Module
BECM: Battery Energy Control Module
HCU: Hybrid Control Unit
HVAC: Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning
It provides both new functionality in the vehicle as well as improvements over the current behavior of the vehicle. Below is a ‘non technical’ content description that advises what to expect from this software version.
Other acronyms used:
HV battery: High Voltage battery, this is located underneath the central tunnel between the seats. It consists of 15 battery modules with 21 cells per module.
SOC: State Of Charge. This normally refers to the level of charge existing in the HV battery pack.
RDM: Rear Drive Module, also being referred to as differential. It is the big block of metal over the rear axle that redirects the power from the traction motors to the rear wheels.
HVIL: High Voltage Interlock Loop. This is the low voltage circuits present in the vehicle to monitor the high voltage cabling and connectors.
ABS: Antilock Brake System
ESC: Electronic Stability Control
ECM software changes
Fuel level / Range
A new algorithm will improve the accuracy of the fuel level shown on the instrument cluster. Today, sloshing of fuel in the fuel tank as well as certain ‘dead zones’ in our dual sensor system can cause inaccurate readings on the instrument cluster which makes you believe you have more fuel remaining than what there really is. We have introduced a new algorithm tailored to the unique architecture of the Fisker Karma fuel system. We also incorporate readings from the fuel injectors in addition to the two fuel sensors in the tank which improves accuracy of the reported fuel level and reported remaining range.
As a side benefit, your technicians will have less error codes to deal with.
Vehicle speed
Currently the vehicle displays its vehicle speed on the instrument cluster using sensor data from the traction motors. We have added the ability of the ABS sensors to provide accurate vehicle speed data should the traction motor sensor data be unavailable.
Note: 12v re-set or ECM re-flash
When the vehicle is 12v re-set or ECM re-flashed, the fuel level will show 100% full irrespective of what is actually in the fuel tank. As soon as the internal combustion engine (generator) starts the first time after a re-set or re-flash, the actual fuel level will be displayed.
BECM software changes
Cell voltage monitoring
The new software will reduce overly conservative error codes when individual battery cells inside a battery module report a deviation in voltage values. This will allow you to continue using your vehicle with less occurrences of ‘check engine’ lights due to individual HV battery cell voltage variations.
HV battery charging
The new software has the low voltage circuit monitoring (HVIL) the high voltage circuit integrity to ensure that in the event of a high voltage wiring fault, the vehicle will not accept charge.
Low Temperature HV battery performance
The new software will adjust the amount of regenerative braking energy entering the HV battery to prevent an abrupt drop out of regenerative braking in cold conditions.
Onboard charging
We have eliminated false ‘engine check’ lights when using lower than expected AC current while charging. This is mainly directed towards the European market using 220v chargers.
The end of the ‘trickle charger’
The current functionality of the vehicle requires you to use a trickle charger to keep the 12v battery maintained during longer periods of vehicle disuse. The new software will allow the HV battery to maintain the 12v battery charge until the HV battery is drained to around 10% SOC at which point it will start to protect itself only. In all but extreme circumstances, a trickle charger will no longer be needed.
HCU software changes
Park Pawl
The diagnostics governing the Park Pawl (the pin that blocks the RDM when you put the vehicle in Park) has been improved. True mechanical Park Pawl problems are more reliably detected. As an owner you might not notice this improvement.
Mid speed growling noises
The new software will all but eliminate any residual mid speed growling noises coming from the RDM when you decelerate in the 55 mph to 40 mph range. This is achieved through torque biasing which allows appropriate levels of torque to remain present on the shafts and gears of the RDM in that speed range.
Low speed rattling noises
The new software will reduce residual low speed rattling noises from the RDM by applying appropriate levels of torque on the shafts and gears of the RDM at low speeds.
Low Temperature cooling system
Your vehicle has 2 parallel cooling systems. A high temperature (HT) cooling system for the internal combustion engine and a low temperature (LT) cooling system for the inverters, HV battery and generator.
The new software will allow the LT fans and pumps to operate at appropriate capacity should any of the temperature sensors fail to protect these components.
At the same time, the new software will eliminate the unnecessary operation of the LT fans and pumps during charging and when the vehicle is not in the Ready state (green colored start/stop button).
High Temperature cooling system
The new software will allow the cooling fan for the main radiator to turn off immediately when you turn off the vehicle if the ‘under the hood’ temperature is not too high.
New HV battery low SOC strategy
The new software starts limiting power at around 8% SOC in the HV battery. From that moment onwards, the vehicle will have a reduction in top speed and limited acceleration performance. Once the HV battery is depleted to around 5% SOC, a red telltale (warning lamp) will blink on the instrument cluster depicting “Low Battery” and vehicle performance is further reduced. You will notice this clearly.
Torque hole
In todays vehicle, when accelerating aggressively and the internal combustion engine starts up to assist (or you put it in Sport mode while accelerating) there is a very noticeable “torque hole”. You feel pressed back in the seat, then jerked forward (the torque hole) before you are pressed back in the seat again during your acceleration. This is caused by an over-discharge protection function of the HV battery that is too intrusive. The new software eliminates that torque hole feeling.
Cruise Control behavioral changes
The new software will add an ABS event as reason to cancel an active cruise control setting. In todays vehicle only an ESC event triggers that. Disabling ESC through the touchscreen will also disable the ability to set cruise control.
The software will limit activation or resumption of cruise control to vehicle speeds above 20 MPH and only accepts Cruise Control activation below 95 MPH.
Should the vehicle not be able to keep the requested cruise control speed within 10 MPH from the set target (steep incline or decline) for more than 5 seconds, an active cruise control setting will be cancelled.
The Resume function of cruise control now allows for a smoother acceleration profile if the original set speed is more than 20 mph from the actual speed of the vehicle when you hit Resume.
Todays vehicle doesn’t remember if you were driving in Hill 1 or 2 mode when you set the cruise control and then disengage it. The new software will remember if you were in Hill 1 or 2 before you activated cruise control. This will work both from a brake pedal cruise control cancelation as well as a steering wheel button cancelation.
The Cruise Control activation timing is now a little less sensitive (from around 200 milliseconds to around 290 milliseconds). Tap increase/decrease requests will now be ignored after around 380 milliseconds. Should you hold the increase/decrease switch longer than that, it will continually accelerate/decelerate until you let go of the switch.
Accelerator pedal sensors
The accelerator pedal sensor diagnostics have been improved in the new software. Should a discrepancy in value occur between the 2 sensors, the most conservative setting will now be used while the system undergoes self diagnosis.
The loss of signal from one of the sensors will now cause the vehicle to rely on the still functioning sensor albeit with reduced vehicle performance.
Panic shutdown
Should you initiate a Panic Shutdown event by continually depressing the ‘start/stop’ button while driving, the new software will only allow the vehicle to roll in Neutral.
Unattended vehicle
When the vehicle is left parked in System-Ready (you forgot to turn off the vehicle) you will drain the HV Battery slowly but surely. Around 11% SOC remaining in the HV battery, the generator will start up to recharge the HV battery. The new software will limit the time the generator is allowed to run to 60 minutes if no driver is present in the vehicle. If after 60 minutes the vehicle is not turned off, the external pedestrian warning system will start to emit an oscillating sound as warning. Around 6% SOC remaining in the HV battery, the contactors in the battery pack will open and the HV battery is electrically disconnected from the vehicle.
Generator coupler failure
The new software will trigger an EV only ‘limp home’ mode if the generator speed deviates significantly from the internal combustion engine speed. This will protect these components from additional damage should your coupler fail.
Stall detection
The internal combustion engine will be asked from the new software to restart itself if the generator speed drops below its minimum operating range.
EU emission testing
The new software will allow European delivered vehicles to run their respective emissions tests by allowing for multi speed idle conditions.
HVAC software changes
Unwanted hot air
The new software will prevent hot air from the ICE coolant system entering the cabin by closing airflow doors when the driver had not requested hot air. A secondary coolant pump in the heating system is now turned down when the driver did not request heating vs. running at full speed today.
Unwanted cold air
The new software will reduce cold air from the air-conditioning system that feeds the HV battery cooling system from entering the cabin by lowering fan speeds while at the same time engaging the heater to maintain the set temperature. The HV battery will now function with an improved cooling regime, optimizing energy usage and minimizing unwanted cold air.
Better accuracy of temperature control
The new software will allow the airflow door sensors to be fully calibrated each time the vehicle wakes up. By recalibrating the position sensors each time, the HVAC control module will be able to maintain the requested temperature better
Front defrost
The new software will turn both the AC and the heater on when the front defrost button is pressed. This will provide for a better matched temperature experience from the requested cabin temp.
Heater on/off button
The new software will allow the fan to go to speed 1 to match the operation of the AC on/off button.
Recirculation air vs. Fresh air; air flow volume
The new software will balance the pre-existing airflow volume to the new setting of recycle or fresh air to give the driver a more consistent air flow volume experience when changing on the touchscreen where the cabin air should come from.
—
Thank you,
Alex Pop
Elite Motors AP Inc.
714-697-0557
27812 Aliso Creek Rd, E110
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
