What is OTA, and does a car brought from China to Moldova get updates?

What OTA means, in plain terms

A modern car has dozens of small computers called control units. One handles the central screen, another the battery, another the brakes or the driver-assistance systems. OTA (over-the-air) means the manufacturer can send them new software over the mobile network. The car downloads the package, checks that it is authentic, and installs it, usually while parked.

Two terms are used. SOTA (software over-the-air) refers to the “surface” software: the screen, navigation, apps, and interface. FOTA (firmware over-the-air) refers to the “deep” software in the units that control the car: the battery, motor, brakes, and driver assistance. FOTA updates are more complex and tested more strictly, because a mistake there affects how the car drives.

What an update can change: for better and for worse

For better: an update can add features the car did not have when you bought it. In 2022, Zeekr sent a new highway-assistance package over the air to tens of thousands of Zeekr 001s, using the cameras already fitted. On the Zeekr 001 sold in Europe, the OS 1.2 release notes (2024) brought front-camera heating in cold weather, a parked-car surveillance mode, and better battery preheating before charging.

Recalls are also done over the air. In September 2025, Xiaomi reported a recall of 116,887 SU7s to the Chinese market regulator (SAMR) because of its highway assistance. The fix was free, through an update sent to the cars.

For worse: an update can also take away. In 2025, version 1.7.0 of Xiaomi's software limited the SU7 Ultra from 1,548 hp to about 900 hp. Full power was unlocked only after a certified lap on a race track. After owners protested, Xiaomi dropped the limit. In spring 2026, Chinese state television reported complaints from owners who say that after updates their cars lost range and charge more slowly. In China the practice is called “battery locking.” Some outlets then wrote that the authorities had summoned eight manufacturers over it. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) denied this: the authorities had taken no such action, and the manufacturers named rejected the accusations.

What rules exist for OTA in China and the EU

China: since February 25, 2025, a joint notice from the Ministry of Industry (MIIT) and SAMR requires manufacturers to report every OTA campaign to the authorities. Updates that change important technical parameters need approval in advance. Those that fix a defect are treated as a recall. The owner must be told the purpose, the duration, and which features are unavailable during the update, and must confirm it. In April 2025, at a meeting with manufacturers, MIIT banned public “beta” testing of driver-assistance features via OTA and the use in advertising of terms such as “autonomous driving” or “smart driving.” In 2026 the press also wrote about new, stricter OTA rules, but we did not find a new official document. The core act remains the 2025 notice.

Also in China, the mandatory standard GB 44496-2024 for software updates applies to new vehicle types from January 1, 2026, and to already approved types from January 1, 2028.

EU: UN Regulation No. 156 (R156), in force since January 22, 2021, requires the manufacturer to have a certified update management system. Updates must be authentic and logged, and if one fails, the car must roll back to the old version or go into a safe state. The rule applies both to OTA updates and to those done by cable at a service center. In the EU it is mandatory for new types from July 2022 and for all new cars registered from July 2024.

A car built for the Chinese market, driven in Moldova

A car built for the Chinese market is tied to the ecosystem in China: servers, app, user account, SIM card, and maps. Its updates come through this channel. Outside China, the channel may work, may work partly, or may stop working. It depends on the brand, the model, and the software version. There is no single rule.

The problem is acknowledged even by the Chinese authorities. Since January 1, 2026, China requires an export license for pure electric cars. The trade press explained the measure by complaints about cars sold abroad through unauthorized channels, with limited software updates and poor service. Also from 2026, a car exported within the first 180 days after its first registration, the so-called “zero-mileage used cars,” must have an after-sales service document issued by the manufacturer.

What happened in other markets shows the risks. In Kazakhstan, Zeekr launched its phone app in 2024 only for cars bought from official dealers. Pairing is done at the dealer, who sets up a “main account.” In Russia, official Geely, Exeed, and Li Auto dealers said in 2024 that their diagnostic equipment does not recognize the electronics of unofficially imported cars. In 2025, the official Li Auto distributor in Russia offered owners of cars brought in through other channels free registration until June 30. After that date, updates and service for these cars became paid.

Localization: the Romanian language, Google, and what OTA does to them

The interface of a car built for the Chinese market is designed for China: menus in Chinese, a voice assistant that understands Chinese, Chinese maps and apps. Localization means adapting the software for another country: another menu language, local maps, sometimes Google apps or an app store. On some models, a foreign language already exists in the software and just needs to be turned on. On others, localization is done by independent companies that modify the software.

Deeper modifications may involve disabling the system's integrity checks or changing the server the updates come from. That creates a practical risk. An official update may wipe the localization, which then has to be redone. Or the modified car no longer receives official updates. More rarely, errors may appear. Third-party localization is not covered by the manufacturer's warranty.

Russian media reported in June 2025 that new, unofficially imported Li Auto cars locked up their systems after updating to version 7.4 when they had an “unauthorized” SIM card. The information comes from owners' clubs and was not officially confirmed by the manufacturer or the official distributor. We mention it only as an example of the risk.

Personal data and security: why connected cars are being debated

A car that receives OTA updates is a permanently connected car. It sends data: location, usage data, sometimes voice commands. Whoever controls the servers also controls the updates.

In January 2025, the US adopted a Department of Commerce rule that bans connectivity and automated-driving software linked to China or Russia starting with model year 2027, and hardware starting with model year 2030. The official reason: the risk that drivers' data could be extracted and that cars could be manipulated remotely. In the EU, the European Commission is assessing the cybersecurity risks of connected cars, and European think tanks have called for stricter rules for connected cars, for example additional security certification for all manufacturers.

For a driver in Moldova, the takeaway is simple: it is not a reason to panic, but it is worth knowing that the car is in constant contact with the manufacturer's servers, whoever that manufacturer is.

Examples from our catalog

• Xiaomi SU7A clear example of OTA working both ways: a recall of 116,887 cars resolved through an update (2025) and, on the Ultra version, power limited by software, then restored.
• Zeekr 001Received a new highway-assistance package over the air in China (2022). The European version has its own update track, separate from the Chinese one.
• Li Auto L9Li Auto does not sell officially in Moldova. In markets such as Russia, unofficially imported cars had problems with updates and service, partly resolved through programs run by the official distributor.

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