Method for software updating of vehicle components

A method for real-time widespread distribution of software updates of vehicle components comprising flash memory is provided. The method comprises: providing a client server for originating said software updates; providing an arbitration server operable to communicate with the client server; providing a distributed network comprising a plurality of communication servers, each of said communication servers operable to communicate with apparatus in a plurality of corresponding vehicles; operating each apparatus to communicate via a wireless network with one of the plurality of communication servers to receive and deploy software updates to electronic control units (ECUs) within its corresponding vehicle; operating each apparatus to generate status updates and to communicate the status updates to one communication server via the wireless network; and operating each communication server to generate a data stream comprising the data messages from the plurality of corresponding vehicles, and sending the data stream to the arbitration server.