This is where we'll discuss the procedure and options for how to get your cruise updated with the new firmware if you so choose. For now. these plans are not written in stone and I welcome your feedback.
Keeping in mind feedback from our team on how much of a headache dealing with Recall #1 (wiper interference issue) was and the fact that this is not a recall, we do expect there to be some cost associated for customers that wish to update their product. That cost has not been determined and will depend on what upgrade options are available and which you choose.
When you send your unit to us for reprogramming, we have a device that we plug into the cruise, press a few buttons and its done. Sounds easy, but when you think about that we have to remove 4 screws, take off the lid, program, put the lid back on and put 4 screws back in and mail it back out... HUNDREDS OF TIMES that it can get a bit tedious to say the least. And the time does add up.
Possibly the best option,
if it can happen, will be for you to do your own upgrade! You can
buy the same device we use and we'd be more than happy to post a step-by-step guide to using it... but it costs about $200. There are clones on eBay for anywhere from $50 to $160 but that's still expensive and we'd have almost no way of assuring you that any given one would work of how to use it. All of these devices do far more than we need them to, which is to simply transfer our firmware onto our cruise control. So Steven has been in contact with a couple of engineers who estimate that they can make some simpler devices for us (that only do what we need them to) at a low cost of probably under $30. If/when this comes to fruition, this means that for a little more than the cost of postage to send your unit back and forth one time you can perform your own upgrade at your leisure (this would of course apply to any future upgrades too) as well as revert back if you don't like something and it would take a matter of minutes rather than sending your unit out potentially leaving you without cruise for a couple of weeks. Also, if we knew that people had access to such a programmer, we wouldn't have to be so complete with updates and we could issue them a lot quicker with more minor changes rather than waiting until a whole bunch of major changes are completed. These programming devices would use standard USB cables to connect to your Windows computer for certain, and Mac and Linux compatibility may be possible.
However, that's down the road.
More immediately, one way or another you'd be sending us your unit for reprogramming. Possibilities include:
1) You use the
SmartieParts Jumper Plug in place of your cruise (so you can use your car in the meantime), mail your unit in and wait for it to be reprogrammed and returned. Cost is postage both ways plus the upgrade charge, if any (if there is any it will certainly be < $20 and may depend on where you bought the unit and whether you originally had any special promotion price). Time is dependent on shipping as well as how backlogged we are but probably no less than 3 weeks.
2) We send you a refurbished unit with the new firmware, which you swap with yours and send yours back to us. Cost is the same as above, though we may have to have a credit card or something securing the returned piece. Time is hard to predict. It will be much faster in terms of how long you go without a cruise (basically zero), but the total time depends on how quickly those before you are at returning their units because we have very few refurbished units to send! Depending on how many people are looking to upgrade, the backlog could mean months go by before you get your turn.
3) As above but we send you a new unit instead of a refurbished one. This solves the time problem entirely, however the cost must be much higher as we would then have a surplus of used units that have to be sold as used legally. The cost would have to cover postage as well as the discount we'd have to offer to customers to take a used unit. My guess off the top of my head would be about $150 total. I doubt that makes this a very attractive option, but maybe I'm wrong. That's why this discussion is here, to get a feel for what it is the customers want.
Maybe you have another suggestion? Let's here it.
