Never car (never-used features)

[OriginalBigAl]

Just coming up to 5000 kms and 1 year old, if I use a motorway its been only for around 6 kms so never used ACC / TJA , never used OPD , towing mode always turned on ,so never used LKA or had any phantom braking.
Never used the MG app , phone is not bound to the car, never used the phone button or spoke to it through Android, Had Waze on AA but got rid of it because it was annoying , same with auto highbeam. For the last year we have never needed to do a long trip so have never DC charged,
Car runs brilliantly with only the odd bong when you open the doors so never got annoyed by that, and apart from an odd issue with tightening up the rear ducktail its never been back to the dealer ( service excluded ).
I'm subscribing to the thought that "less is more " and as of yet , the car is responding superbly, anyone else in the same boat? .........No! never mind.

 

[TerryN]

Same here. I keep all the "assist" features turned off now and I just love driving the car. If it has cost over £30k (like most EVs) I might be disappointed but it didn't so I'm not

 

[fnegroni]

You guys are selective in your ‘less is more’

Less of what exactly?

Turn off ABS?
Turn off the BMS? Do individual cell balancing? I mean realistically speaking the ‘less is more’ philosophy isn’t what we are talking about here.
You are reducing your chances of something going wrong in the ‘visible/detectable’ spectrum by avoiding convenience in favour of ignoring the inherent complexity of an EV.
Are you going to do turn signals by waving your arms next like in the good ol days?

I am coming across as a bit nasty admittedly but I don’t think this is the correct way forward.

 

[TerryN]

My last car had ABS and indicators and I was perfectly happy with that.
I'm perfectly able to drive centrally in a lane and control my speed with my right foot. I like the idea of FCA but IMHO the false positives worry me more. No doubt the technology will mature in time and then maybe I will use it like I do with the indicators and ABS

 

[OriginalBigAl]

You guys are selective in your ‘less is more’

Less of what exactly?

Turn off ABS?
Turn off the BMS? Do individual cell balancing? I mean realistically speaking the ‘less is more’ philosophy isn’t what we are talking about here.
You are reducing your chances of something going wrong in the ‘visible/detectable’ spectrum by avoiding convenience in favour of ignoring the inherent complexity of an EV.
Are you going to do turn signals by waving your arms next like in the good ol days?

I am coming across as a bit nasty admittedly but I don’t think this is the correct way forward.

I think you are taking a three word phrase to extremes , which is fine , you have a valid point of view , I'm not seeing it as nasty . There are many posts on this forum which complain about the functions of this car , in common with other forums on other makes and models no matter the powertrain that reduce the enjoyment and experience of driving them . I was merely expressing what has worked for me up to now and seeing if that was a model which others had found had worked for them. Perhaps its my mentality, I am not yet prepared to give up my responsibilities to the
unpredictable electronic choices stored in the cars algorithms. How many of this forums members use TJA but still cover the brake with their right foot???

 

[fnegroni]

I actually agree with you, in a sense.
The convenience and functionality we have become accustomed to is not an optional extra. It’s meant to be the standard.

 

[DixieTGS]

Less of what exactly?

For me I only safety system I turn off is the front collision detection and auto headlights. But for those that can live without the phone, AA and iSmart I would agree with "less is more" - in one sense life would be so much simpler.

 

[DaevM]

Just coming up to 5000 kms and 1 year old, if I use a motorway its been only for around 6 kms so never used ACC / TJA , never used OPD , towing mode always turned on ,so never used LKA or had any phantom braking.
Never used the MG app , phone is not bound to the car, never used the phone button or spoke to it through Android, Had Waze on AA but got rid of it because it was annoying , same with auto highbeam. For the last year we have never needed to do a long trip so have never DC charged,
Car runs brilliantly with only the odd bong when you open the doors so never got annoyed by that, and apart from an odd issue with tightening up the rear ducktail its never been back to the dealer ( service excluded ).
I'm subscribing to the thought that "less is more " and as of yet , the car is responding superbly, anyone else in the same boat? .........No! never mind.

I'm with you. ??. Ever since you introduced me to towing mode I'm a lot happier.
Made me very popular at the dealership too when I pointed it out there ?
My standard is towing mode on, speed sign detector off, sleepy notification off.
Regen - adaptive.

I prefer to drive the car rather than let "computer say no".
Ultimately this is a staging post on the way to autonomous vehicles.
Fine when we get there, in the meantime, less is more. ??.

Also, driving by TLAs ??

 

[AdeSc]

You guys are selective in your ‘less is more’

Less of what exactly?

Turn off ABS?
Turn off the BMS? Do individual cell balancing? I mean realistically speaking the ‘less is more’ philosophy isn’t what we are talking about here.
You are reducing your chances of something going wrong in the ‘visible/detectable’ spectrum by avoiding convenience in favour of ignoring the inherent complexity of an EV.
Are you going to do turn signals by waving your arms next like in the good ol days?

I am coming across as a bit nasty admittedly but I don’t think this is the correct way forward.

To be perfectly clear, I never use LKA or any of the other rubbish they put in the software (including the satnav which is a joke) after the MG4 I drive nearly launched me into an oncoming bus and then did an emergency stop about 300m further down the road with zero visible anything. I ALWAYS keep towing mode on so all I have to do is turn off the 'Traffic Sign Detection', which detects nothing like a traffic sign, and insists I live in a permanent 20 mph location (I don't). I have a proper UK drivers licence and I have (in the past) driven professionally. In my opinion, if you NEED all of these 'driver aids' you shouldn't be driving. You should be allowed to set them once (nobody cares about NCAP except when the buy the car) and not have to keep resetting damned thing every time you get in the car. I thought only pilots needed to do a 'pre-flight' check before they blasted their pressurised tubes down a runway, not MG drivers. And yes, before you slap me around, I get that this is change for the better for some, for others, it's an absolute menace and the bane of my life. Much as I enjoy the car when I'm allowed to drive it, I get really, and I mean REALLY p'eed off when it interferes.

 

[Rolfe]

I know what you mean. I decided when I got the car that since there nothing I could do about the LKA, the only choice I had was whether to turn it off before setting off without worrying about it, or to get bent out of shape with fury every time.

 

[DaevM]

I know what you mean. I decided when I got the car that since there nothing I could do about the LKA, the only choice I had was whether to turn it off before setting off without worrying about it, or to get bent out of shape with fury every time.

....or to use tow mode to keep it permanently off ??

 

[OriginalBigAl]

I have not reported on this in the past year, but my particular car has another automated fault detection device which uses the voice control to keep reminding me to " slow down " " sharp bend ahead " "dog in verge, 300M " etc,etc. Strangely, only works when the passenger seat belt is done up. Will this be a warranty fault I could take back to MG, will it be resolved or would I need a lawyer?

 

[DaevM]

I have not reported on this in the past year, but my particular car has another automated fault detection device which uses the voice control to keep reminding me to " slow down " " sharp bend ahead " "dog in verge, 300M " etc,etc. Strangely, only works when the passenger seat belt is done up. Will this be a warranty fault I could take back to MG, will it be resolved or would I need a lawyer?

Get a lawyer, without hesitation. You can just imagine MG's response ?

 

[Rolfe]

....or to use tow mode to keep it permanently off ??

No. I don't want to lose the rear parking sensors, among other things.

 

[DaevM]

No. I don't want to lose the rear parking sensors, among other things.

I was honestly very apprehensive about precisely this when I did it as my last several cars have had it. I drove to it and loved it. But, I must say I've become used to it again surprisingly quickly and haven't had to indulge in 'full contact parking' once since switching it off. It's very flat backed so very easy to judge.

 

[OriginalBigAl]

Losing the rear parking sensors is a big shame, especially as my reversing skills are , lets say below average. if I get within two foot of another object that's a major win. The only other way I've found is the cocoa/ paste mixture over the camera and leave towing mode off. You do get a range of warning messages and the yellow triangle on the screen . Regain the sensors but lose speed sign detection and auto high beam as well as the other losses on towing mode. Oh! and a message saying ," take it to the dealer " .

 

[Rolfe]

These things certainly work if that's what you want to do. So does turning it off at the start of every drive, and I'm OK about that.

 

[Caramaddy]

Not wishing to be ageist (?) but I wonder if it is older drivers that are negative to new technology?
I am in my late 60’s and really not bothered about using all this new technology. I thought radar cruise control was brilliant at first but in heavy motorway traffic it is a pain. LKA never use it - useful if you are falling asleep but in that case you should not be driving.
On another car forum there has been so much discussion of Car Play - only used it once to see if it works!
I like the idea of the safety systems, they are probably needed considering the poor driving you see on the roads.
None of us are perfect drivers but I am genuinely not bothered by all this technology.
Driving experience, reliability, comfort, economy, quietness are all more important to me. The MG5 ticks more boxes than I imagined AND at a good price.

 

[tsedge]

Not wishing to be ageist (?) but I wonder if it is older drivers that are negative to new technology?
I am in my late 60’s and really not bothered about using all this new technology. I thought radar cruise control was brilliant at first but in heavy motorway traffic it is a pain. LKA never use it - useful if you are falling asleep but in that case you should not be driving.
On another car forum there has been so much discussion of Car Play - only used it once to see if it works!
I like the idea of the safety systems, they are probably needed considering the poor driving you see on the roads.
None of us are perfect drivers but I am genuinely not bothered by all this technology.
Driving experience, reliability, comfort, economy, quietness are all more important to me. The MG5 ticks more boxes than I imagined AND at a good price.

There is a lot of technology which is supposed to assist the driver but doesn't - or would if it worked properly - because it has annoying flaws.

Personally I find the 360 camera on the Trophy the most useful because it makes all parking a doddle. I am not saying a good parker needs it, but it certainly transforms my parking skills.

We do use CarPlay all the time - basically you get all your relevant phone apps working in the same way as on your phone, so it is nicer for music, maps/navigation, and other apps than learning the car's own systems. But I wouldn't say it is necessary, just convenient.

 

[DaevM]

Not wishing to be ageist (?) but I wonder if it is older drivers that are negative to new technology?
I am in my late 60’s and really not bothered about using all this new technology. I thought radar cruise control was brilliant at first but in heavy motorway traffic it is a pain. LKA never use it - useful if you are falling asleep but in that case you should not be driving.
On another car forum there has been so much discussion of Car Play - only used it once to see if it works!
I like the idea of the safety systems, they are probably needed considering the poor driving you see on the roads.
None of us are perfect drivers but I am genuinely not bothered by all this technology.
Driving experience, reliability, comfort, economy, quietness are all more important to me. The MG5 ticks more boxes than I imagined AND at a good price.

Yeah, pretty much (63). Although I have been using Android Auto for Waze and either youtube music or VLC for music for 5-7 years and wouldn't be without it now.
Carplay?? What's that ? iPhone? Shouldn't you be in a Tesla ? ?? ( triggers set)