Lucid Motors said its latest software update addresses up to 95% of issues that have plagued Gravity SUV owners since the vehicle’s launch, a senior executive said in an interview released Monday.
“This release has basically been introduced really to remove all robustness issues that have been witnessed and seen in some of the Gravity customer vehicles,” Senior Vice President of Engineering and Digital Emad Dlala told ‘Out of Spec’ founder Kyle Conner.
Lucid pushed the 3.4 software update over the weekend, which solves nearly all issues flagged by owners and automotive reviewers over the last months, according to Dlala.
The release comes approximately five weeks after interim CEO Marc Winterhoff sent an email to Gravity customers acknowledging the company had failed to meet its standards on software quality.
“Lingering software problems have unfortunately affected our customers’ experience and satisfaction,” Winterhoff said at the time.
90 to 95% Resolved
Dlala acknowledged the company had “received many complaints about certain things” but expressed confidence in the improvements delivered with version 3.4 and the upcoming update planned for “six to eight weeks.”
“There are many known issues to us that have been in the works for a while, but there are also many others that have been basically seen and observed by the media and customers,” the executive said.
Late last year, the company created a dedicated email to receive direct feedback from Gravity owners.
“And we opened channels recently for direct customer feedback, where we basically really use that as the basis for prioritization to address the main customer pain points,” he added.
“I would say right now, you know, 90% of those — or even close to 95% — of those issues have been addressed,” Dlala stated before teasing the next version.
“We’re going to release another update in about six to eight weeks to address some other issues that we are going to basically focus on in the short term,” he said.
The Senior VP added that the Gravity now delivers a fundamentally different experience from the one that drew criticism in recent months.
“But I would say, I can tell you right now, the vehicle is super fun to drive. No, you drive it for weeks and you don’t notice anything,” Dlala said.
Addressing Conner’s review — where he said that software issues impacted the overall experience of great hardware — the executive said reviewers would notice significant improvements.
“The feedback that you shared, Kyle, and a few others in your road trips, you will see almost a different experience right now,” he added.
“And with all the things that the Gravity, all the good things that the Gravity is known for, right now, on top of that, you have a very seamlessly smooth software experience, digital experience.”
Dlala said the improvements span the full range of the vehicle’s digital systems.
“Not only from, as I said, the access side, it’s also from, you know, your infotainment in general side, control side, ADAS side, so many improvements, nav, connectivity, all these have been improved in the latest 3.4 release,” the executive said.
Leadership Changes
In early November, Dlala was appointed Senior Vice President of Engineering and Digital.
“In addition to leading the powertrain organization, he will now oversee all product development functions, including vehicle engineering, digital systems, and software,” Lucid said at the time.
Dlala’s expanded role came as Eric Bach, Senior Vice President of Product and Chief Engineer, was let go — as exclusively reported in November by EV and later confirmed by the executive in a lawsuit against Lucid for wrongful termination and discrimination.
Winterhoff confirmed in early January that the company had fired a number of software staff, with a spokesperson detailing the figure was “more than a handful.”
OTA Update Details
The update, version 3.4.0, introduces a see-through vehicle display, enhanced audio controls, and improved key fob recognition — one of the most common complaints among Gravity owners.
“Updated key fob recognition provides more consistent unlocking and quicker readiness to shift into Drive,” Lucid said in the release notes. “This reduces situations where the fob needs to be shaken for detection.”
The company also said improved power management delivers enhanced battery life under normal use, with low-battery alerts revised to provide additional time to replace the key fob battery.
Lucid recommended owners replace their key fob battery with this update and said service centers will do so at no cost.
New Features
The update introduces several new features for Gravity owners equipped with Dream Drive 2 Premium and Dream Drive 2 Pro.
A new see-through vehicle display allows drivers to view the surface being driven over when using Surround View Monitoring. The feature also shows obstacles approaching the front wheels when viewing the front-facing camera.
For vehicles equipped with Surreal Sound Pro, a new immersion control setting allows owners to adjust the audio experience from “accurate and focused, to spacious and enveloping.”
The update also adds an enhanced second-row EZ Entry button experience, allowing owners to fold seats flat with a long press and move the front row forward with a double press.
Additional Improvements
The release includes updates across multiple vehicle systems including improved steering wheel button software for adaptive cruise control and Drive Assist activation, better blind spot and surround view display image quality, and enhanced cabin warmup performance in HVAC Auto mode.
Charging improvements include enhanced thermal management for more consistent performance in hot conditions, improved AC charging reliability, and reduced charging interruptions.
The update also improves Bluetooth device pairing and reconnection, reduces background noise during hands-free calls, and enhances wireless connectivity for more robust over-the-air updates.
The previous major update, version 3.3.20, was released on December 12.
A minor update, version 3.3.22, rolled out on December 23 addressing only window operation.
