Is it?

I'm not saying it's not, I haven't even looked up a definition, but I do know I've written firmware update code before... I think the way the term gets used is probably a little blurry...

My car, for instance, is a bit old. It has some sort of ARM device in it running a proprietary GPS system. There is an update mechanism that can be triggered when you put a new DVD full of map data into the drive in the trunk. This updates the stuff that runs the ICE as well as the GPS. I would be very concerned if it had anything to do with engine-control I suppose.