My MG4 Trophy is Dangerous. And other Rants

[Joe Boatman]

I've done 100 miles and already feel experienced enough to post a rant!
I love the Adaptive Cruise Control but switch to TJA, Traffic Jam Assist, and Lane Assist turns on too! This feature is dangerous because it seems to grab the wheel and steers awa' with the fairies!
Turn off Lane Assist in the settings and it stays switched on. Reduce the effectiveness of LA to try to disengage it - makes no difference.
However, ACC works well and you will find it by pressing the steering wheel button on the left side of the wheel.

How to turn on Adaptive Cruise Control
While stationary, press the car icon in the lower right corner of the Home screen to display Settings and tap the MG Pilot tab:

In Drive Assist System, tap Cruise Control M... and in Mode Select tap ACC. This turns on Cruise Control without Lane Assist. If you tap TJA (Traffic Jam Assist) then Lane Assist is activated as well and this tries to steer the car, supposedly to keep within the lane.
At speed, tap button 2 to activate ACC.

To increase the cruising speed, tap the tiny toggle button (1) up - each tap increases the speed by 5 mph. A down tap reduces the speed.
If you brake, ACC is turned off. Restore it by tapping the tiny joystick 1 up. At any speed above 10 mph, the set speed will be activated.
If the vehicle in front slows down, MG4 will slow down too and even stop.
If the vehicle in front starts from a stop, tap the accelerator to restore the set speed.
The set speed is shown in screen on the screen in front of the steering wheel. If the icons are green, it means the system is activated.

The 3 blue bars indicates the distance between you and the car in front before your car slows down. This can be changed by moving the small joystick (1) to the left or right.

Note that white van man driving within 4cm of your rear bumper does not affect adaptive cruise control to make MG4 speed up or flash the brake and hazard lights. You have to do that yourself ?.

After restarting the car, the above settings seem to stay in place - unlike trying to keep the drive mode in ECO when MG4 always starts in Normal.

More About ACC (without TJA or Lane Assist)
When driving along country roads and approaching a curve in the road, I might need to slow down. ACC doesn't but it does slow during cornering and then speeds up after.
Even though MG4 recognises some road signs, it doesn't 'see' traffic lights and won't stop. It does see cars enough to slow down and possibly pedestrians and cyclists, especially if they are running.

Also in MG Pilot (and other screens)

Whenever the header heating bar shows, tap it to show the heating controls. To return to the previous screen, swipe the heating screen up.

Tap here to show the volume settings that not found anywhere else - that would be too obvious

The volume screen shows settings for the Sat Nav voice, Hello MG voice and media volume (radio/music/video stuff)

 

[Chr1sB]

Personally I do not like the ACC as :

• I can’t easily set the speed at less than 5 mph increments- unless I press the ACC button just at the right time do is at 47 mph etc
• The system resets the ‘slow down distance’ to the longest setting every time the car is re-started so every time ACC is engaged on subsequent journeys I have to rest the ‘slow down distance’ yet again.
• I feel that the system is not sensitive enough with the car constantly braking or accelerating making for a very uncomfortable and unnerving experience.
• If a vehicle moves from one lane into your ‘keep clear zone’ ahead the car brakes very hard causing alarm for the occupants in the car as well as the vehicles behind
• The ACC cannot cope with A roads etc especially where there are bends or dips and rises as the system gets confused and thinks something is in the ‘keep clear zone’

In summary another function that I personally think is dangerous - like Lane Assist - and have opted to use the LIMIT function instead as there is no ‘normal cruise control’ function available.

Each to their own though ….

 

[Kamil]

I am sure this was mentioned on podcasts regarding infotainment system update to fix LCA issue, what miles describe as Carrie car trying to kill passenger ?

 

[siteguru]

Christine not Carrie but yes - he did mention that.

FWIW I had LKA turned on yesterday with ACC and I didn't experience any perturbing situations - but maybe mine has the SW update already. (I only got the car yesterday).

 

[Kamil]

My bad thanks for correcting ?

 

[Shengis]

So basically, don’t use all this pilot sh*te then?

Sounds like the only worthwhile thing might be the adaptive cruise. Maybe.

 

[Joe Boatman]

Christine not Carrie but yes - he did mention that.

FWIW I had LKA turned on yesterday with ACC and I didn't experience any perturbing situations - but maybe mine has the SW update already. (I only got the car yesterday).

Is there a way you can let me have the version number that you have? Maybe mine is not up to date...

 

[siteguru]

No idea on the version numbers of all the ECUs software, but the Infotainment system is R13 (on my SE SR).

 

[Jonoffun]

Personally I do not like the ACC as :

• I can’t easily set the speed at less than 5 mph increments- unless I press the ACC button just at the right time do is at 47 mph etc
• The system resets the ‘slow down distance’ to the longest setting every time the car is re-started so every time ACC is engaged on subsequent journeys I have to rest the ‘slow down distance’ yet again.
• I feel that the system is not sensitive enough with the car constantly braking or accelerating making for a very uncomfortable and unnerving experience.
• If a vehicle moves from one lane into your ‘keep clear zone’ ahead the car brakes very hard causing alarm for the occupants in the car as well as the vehicles behind
• The ACC cannot cope with A roads etc especially where there are bends or dips and rises as the system gets confused and thinks something is in the ‘keep clear zone’

In summary another function that I personally think is dangerous - like Lane Assist - and have opted to use the LIMIT function instead as there is no ‘normal cruise control’ function available.

Each to their own though ….

Chris, Totally agree. I am having trouble trying to engage any form of Cruise Control without the car trying to crash into the kerb. As you say the ACC is very jerky and every so often brakes hard. A very dangerous feature. Whilst driving I have to keep correcting the steering to prevent the car steering into oncoming cars or jumping into the kerb. Not happy I do not feel safe in this car unless all the "driver assist" features are disabled.

 

[bowfer]

Personally I do not like the ACC as :

• I can’t easily set the speed at less than 5 mph increments- unless I press the ACC button just at the right time do is at 47 mph etc
• The system resets the ‘slow down distance’ to the longest setting every time the car is re-started so every time ACC is engaged on subsequent journeys I have to rest the ‘slow down distance’ yet again.
• I feel that the system is not sensitive enough with the car constantly braking or accelerating making for a very uncomfortable and unnerving experience.
• If a vehicle moves from one lane into your ‘keep clear zone’ ahead the car brakes very hard causing alarm for the occupants in the car as well as the vehicles behind
• The ACC cannot cope with A roads etc especially where there are bends or dips and rises as the system gets confused and thinks something is in the ‘keep clear zone’

In summary another function that I personally think is dangerous - like Lane Assist - and have opted to use the LIMIT function instead as there is no ‘normal cruise control’ function available.

Each to their own though ….

Agreed, 99% of drivers using conventional cruise will be FAR smoother than any ACC system I’ve used in any make of car.
I feel many are overawed by the novelty of it and excuse it’s very obvious failings.

 

[WalkingBootWeather]

Christine not Carrie but yes - he did mention that.

FWIW I had LKA turned on yesterday with ACC and I didn't experience any perturbing situations - but maybe mine has the SW update already. (I only got the car yesterday).

Wasn't that a Cliff song?

Carrie doesn't live here any more
(she crashed and burned in an MG4)

In my ZS I only tend to use Pilot/ACC/LKA on motorways or similar fast roads when traffic isn't too heavy because the braking doesn't use regen on ACC. In these circumstances it works OK. LKA does exert noticeable pressure but I'm used to it now and able to control it. I have never felt that it was about to kill me.

The system on the MG4 'should' be superior (it at least uses regen rather than friction braking) but may need software updates to get it right for UK roads.

Not sure I'd recommend using any such system for narrow country lanes or where lanes are not well defined.

 

[rabacon001]

So, another assist I would like to turn off on my MG4 EV is the one that slows the car on corners when in cruise control. For some reason it thinks that going round any bend on the A3 dual carriage way, the car needs to slow down, regardless of the speed you are doing when you enter the bend. A3 drivers are not the most patient and you quickly find someone on you tail because you vehicle has dropped from 70MPH to 60MPH in a matter of seconds. What I find ridiculous is that you are forced to have this option set. It is not a safe option for driving on major A roads and motorways. Just the place where you would want to engage cruise control.

I also share the issues regarding cruise control, stated previously, it is not smooth it is jerky and if you pull out to overtake it remains locked to the vehicle in front and decides to slow rapidly. I would have thought that indicating to overtake should break that link. It did on my previous car.

Basically, I find myself on the accelerator, most of the time that cruise control is engaged when driving major roads which kinda defeats the purpose of cruise control.

 

[Cocijo]

So, another assist I would like to turn off on my MG4 EV is the one that slows the car on corners when in cruise control. For some reason it thinks that going round any bend on the A3 dual carriage way, the car needs to slow down, regardless of the speed you are doing when you enter the bend. A3 drivers are not the most patient and you quickly find someone on you tail because you vehicle has dropped from 70MPH to 60MPH in a matter of seconds. What I find ridiculous is that you are forced to have this option set. It is not a safe option for driving on major A roads and motorways. Just the place where you would want to engage cruise control.

I also share the issues regarding cruise control, stated previously, it is not smooth it is jerky and if you pull out to overtake it remains locked to the vehicle in front and decides to slow rapidly. I would have thought that indicating to overtake should break that link. It did on my previous car.

Basically, I find myself on the accelerator, most of the time that cruise control is engaged when driving major roads which kinda defeats the purpose of cruise control.

Nearly all the cars that I have experienced have this cruise control function when cornering. I am unsure if it is an actual mandatory requirement now.
I believe that they use a centrifugal sensor of some sort. Most users will never experience it in operation - or very seldom.
From what you describe the MG4 sensor is way too sensitive and I can imagine extremely annoying having to have your right foot ready to override the unnecessary reduction in speed!

 

[rabacon001]

Nearly all the cars that I have experienced have this cruise control function when cornering. I am unsure if it is an actual mandatory requirement now.
I believe that they use a centrifugal sensor of some sort. Most users will never experience it in operation - or very seldom.
From what you describe the MG4 sensor is way too sensitive and I can imagine extremely annoying having to have your right foot ready to override the unnecessary reduction in speed!

Interesting, thanks Cociiji, I wonder if there is a fix to this like the LKA fix that reduced it's sensitivity. Be interested to know if anyone else has the same issue or a fix.

 

[Goldie007]

I dont know how they got 5* NCAP. The lane keep assist should be named Lane Kill Assist. We have had some very scary moments

 

[Cocijo]

I dont know how they got 5* NCAP. The lane keep assist should be named Lane Kill Assist. We have had some very scary moments

That would be funny if it wasn’t so disturbing.

 

[Goldie007]

Its tried killing us a few times so far when on a motorway. How can this possibly a safety feature.

Might not be a good choice of words but at the time we thought it

 

[Eber]

So, another assist I would like to turn off on my MG4 EV is the one that slows the car on corners when in cruise control. For some reason it thinks that going round any bend on the A3 dual carriage way, the car needs to slow down, regardless of the speed you are doing when you enter the bend. A3 drivers are not the most patient and you quickly find someone on you tail because you vehicle has dropped from 70MPH to 60MPH in a matter of seconds. What I find ridiculous is that you are forced to have this option set. It is not a safe option for driving on major A roads and motorways. Just the place where you would want to engage cruise control.

I also share the issues regarding cruise control, stated previously, it is not smooth it is jerky and if you pull out to overtake it remains locked to the vehicle in front and decides to slow rapidly. I would have thought that indicating to overtake should break that link. It did on my previous car.

Basically, I find myself on the accelerator, most of the time that cruise control is engaged when driving major roads which kinda defeats the purpose of cruise control.

Yes. It's too sensitive by far. It can't be used on roads with bends, which means at all.

 

[Buster72]

Well whenever I finally get my car, I am not going to use any of the driver assistance settings, or as few as the system allows until I have become proficient at using them.

 

[WalkingBootWeather]

Well whenever I finally get my car, I am not going to use any of the driver assistance settings, or as few as the system allows until I have become proficient at using them.

So how are you going to get proficient if you don't use them?