MG4 Software Update Thread

[fnegroni]

Maybe I have an incorrect expectation but I think the car should be delivered on its most recent stable release, other cars I have now or in the past have been. I don't understand the requirement for a dealer to pay MG for a simple update of the software to each car.

I have been getting a black screen when plugging in my phone for Android auto although I haven't really done any diagnosis yet or checked the forums, not had the time.

I agree, MG should do the update at the factory. And allow the dealer to perform updates.

It’s not that the dealer pays MG, it’s more the case that the dealer can’t claim back the work from MG because it’s not classed as Warranty repair.

I think MG like others need to get their software act together.
I think it’s a matter of hiring a good test engineer as their delivery manager.
At work I was renowned for being a difficult customer because I would ask repeatedly ‘is it tested?’ And my colleagues would say yeah there’s loads of test evidence. And I would say: that proves nothing, automated regression test suites can do that, I want to see how it was tested. I would then test it myself and I would discover a bug within minutes doing some discovery testing.
They would ask me ‘how did you?’ And I would show them how I test. I test like a 5 year old. I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m trying to break the toy. I want to break it!

When I was a software developer (in C and C++ if you must know) I always tested my own work. And at times it would pass first time.
And that’s when I was sad: because it’s the worse possible scenario; there is a bug, and I can’t find it!

 

[evbull]

That's about what I thought. So @evbull asked for the newest software to be put on his car at service, and it's still on the fifth-most-recent one it came with a year ago.

Are you sure you're not clients of Macklin Motors Edinburgh West?

No fortunately not but seems unwillingness to update latest software is a trend among MG dealers. This might be due to complexity of the operation, cost implications etc. I hope MG looks at their supply chain and optimise for the best MG owner's experience!

 

[AlexC]

No fortunately not but seems unwillingness to update software seems like a trend among MG dealers.

Just say the LKA intervention could cause an accident, update under warranty.

 

[Ngall]

After a few weeks now with R59 update coming up from R40 version I have mixed feelings as a MY23 owner with one pedal drive. There are some improvements but R40 didn't really have much issues with LKA etc and if you use OPD you are going into the car menu anyways to turn that on. I know some would complain that maybe the regen was too harsh when you released pedal but now with the upgrade it feels more like regen 3 rolling long time to a final stop so I'm using brake almost as much as I would without OPD on. I would be interested to see if any others noticed this with their OPD.
Also maybe not everyone's priority, as we probably all use AA or Carplay, but one of the reasons I wanted R59 was to have the option of EV route planning built in like every other EV brand on the market. Previous car was ZS EV and this also did not have this so for once I thought it would be good to have a fully functioning map and route planning system using the cars data instead of using ABRP with ODB2 dongle (and all the alarm triggers that causes). However, putting in test parameters to test the route planning I'm not impressed with its ability to plan based on the desired battery percentages entered. In below pic I tested the route planning to ensure I got to destination over 350 km away and arriving with 40, then 50 then even 70% on arrival. On all occasions it gave me charging stop at beginning (to bring up to 80 maybe) and then another charge about 100 km into journey and then no more charges for rest of journey and this is supposed to get you to your destination with 70% charge left on arrival. So its planning that in the final 260 km I'll only use 10% battery. That is ridiculous. Are others finding this planning very inaccurate? I'm not sure why they would add this feature while making it so basic in function and inaccurate.

 

[tsedge]

No fortunately not but seems unwillingness to update latest software is a trend among MG dealers. This might be due to complexity of the operation, cost implications etc. I hope MG looks at their supply chain and optimise for the best MG owner's experience!

Doing the updates isn't complicated - it is just plugging in the laptop and hitting Y or N as they come up as options, but it is slow and not a matter of saying Y to all.

Some dealers are reluctant due to the time cost but also some are reluctant because they have tried updating cars and had them brick or get stuck with a failed update that then requires a lot of time back and forth with China to resolve, costing them time and an unhappy customer.

 

[AlexC]

Doing the updates isn't complicated - it is just plugging in the laptop and hitting Y or N as they come up as options, but it is slow and not a matter of saying Y to all.

Some dealers are reluctant due to the time cost but also some are reluctant because they have tried updating cars and had them brick or get stuck with a failed update that then requires a lot of time back and forth with China to resolve, costing them time and an unhappy customer.

It’s very much a game of if it ain’t (significantly) broke, don’t fix it. They need Tesla to show them how it’s done!

 

[Daniel Brown]

Reminds me of updating the satnav on a Vauxhall Vectra.
It got so bad, the owner's club maintained a thread for people to post the required (expensive) DVD from one person to the next on the list.

I was one of those that borrowed the dvd for a day before posting it onto the next member

 

[Evgen K]

Just interesting is there some contact/url/email where we can claim SAIC/MG to enable OTA in Europe (and Ukraine )

 

[Mouss]

[email protected]
[email protected]

Brace yourself

 

[AlexC]

[email protected]
[email protected]

Brace yourself

I tried the UK tech support and it was not much more than acknowledgement.

 

[ElectricWizard]

Can we call up any MG dealer and complain about the Bluetooth issues etc to try and get the updates for free? My MG4 is a lease but I don't want to ask via my lease company as they are useless and make it difficult to contact them.

 

[fnegroni]

Can we call up any MG dealer and complain about the Bluetooth issues etc to try and get the updates for free? My MG4 is a lease but I don't want to ask via my lease company as they are useless and make it difficult to contact them.

Mine is lease through work but I just called up a dealer and got it done

 

[AlexC]

Can we call up any MG dealer and complain about the Bluetooth issues etc to try and get the updates for free? My MG4 is a lease but I don't want to ask via my lease company as they are useless and make it difficult to contact them.

Certainly, that’s a warranty issue if something does not work.

 

[CarbonEV]

Because unless there is a problem with the software MG won't pay the dealer.

If everything that you use works OK don't rush to get the latest updates as you could be swapping one problem for another and yes R59 is the latest version but you lose the vehicle hotspot functionality.

What do you mean?

Using the Vehicle as a Hotspot?

Why would you need that? - phone has a far faster and more reliable connection anyway?

 

[Martinonline]

Using the Vehicle as a Hotspot?

Why would you need that? - phone has a far faster and more reliable connection anyway?

For me, because I have a PAYG Phone.

 

[haloweenhamster]

What do you mean?

Using the Vehicle as a Hotspot?

Why would you need that? - phone has a far faster and more reliable connection anyway?

Seems several people used the car as free unlimited internet & streamed on multiple devices, some of which say their monthly usage was about 50GB
R59 out of the box doesn't work for hotspots, you have to fix it but as of last month it appears there's now a 1GB cap

Even with PAYG you can buy internet packages

 

[tsedge]

What do you mean?

Using the Vehicle as a Hotspot?

Why would you need that? - phone has a far faster and more reliable connection anyway?

Some people liked it because it used to be unlimited data (not any more).

Edit: simultaneously posting! The others beat me to it.

 

[Martinonline]

Even with PAYG you can buy internet packages

Understood but given my mobile internet usage I do not need to buy large time-limited data packages which I will not use when I can take advantage of free WiFi. Most of my important and private internet usage is via my home broadband. The hotspot is particularly useful with charging apps.

 

[KH11]

What do you mean?

Using the Vehicle as a Hotspot?

Why would you need that? - phone has a far faster and more reliable connection anyway?

I have R59 which was done at the last service and I still have the vehicle hot spot facility although I have to admit it is turning itself off at times.

 

[AlexC]

Seems several people used the car as free unlimited internet & streamed on multiple devices, some of which say their monthly usage was about 50GB
R59 out of the box doesn't work for hotspots, you have to fix it but as of last month it appears there's now a 1GB cap

Even with PAYG you can buy internet packages

What a shame people would abuse it. Right there, usage should be shown in the Settings, warn when approaching limits. Charger monthly for >2GB use etc.