So OTA update is a lie?

[hmadsen]

I clearly remember picking up on something that Miles said on one of the Tuesday night pod cast's once, when he answered a question about OTA updates on the new facelift model.
He did say that in his own opinion, he thought that small updates SHOULD be possible via OTA updates, BUT larger module updates would still likely necessitate a visit to the dealer.
I think he already had a second sense that this was a tad ambitious by MG.
Personally, although it is a bit of a let down, it will only become a major issue if the car requires a series of updates, that needs a visit to the dealer every couple of months, when it could have been carried out via OTA updates of course.
I am MORE than happy if my car only has to pay a visit to the dealers once a year, for its annual service !.
Visit's means you are experiencing problems !.
Less is more IMO.

I totally agree, especially since the closest shop to me, right now, that would be able to carry out these updates is 100+ miles away.

I have just been informed that they have my towbar in stock, and i can come to them and have it fitted.

This will in all reality mean, taking the day off, to go to them, and wait until they fitted it, which they say they expect to take about 3 hours.

So if i have to go 100+ miles numerous times for updates, i am certainly going to be more sad, about the possible OTA inabilities.

They do claim, that they will probably get a repair and service center "only" 40 miles from where we live in september, so we will have to see if they will deliver on that promise, when they do not seem to deliver on the OTA promise

I am also expecting to only go to the shop once a year for the yearly service.

 

[Eclectic]

I did an update on my Zoe's R-Link (navigation & entertainment system) a couple of days ago. It involves logging into Renaults "My Renault" website and downloading the update, unzipping it to a memory stick and plugging that into the cars USB slot.
It was quite a big file, I don't like to think how long it would have taken to do OTA, so maybe it's the same for the MG? Is there any provision to download updates, or don't MG trust customers to do it?

 

[hmadsen]

I did an update on my Zoe's R-Link (navigation & entertainment system) a couple of days ago. It involves logging into Renaults "My Renault" website and downloading the update, unzipping it to a memory stick and plugging that into the cars USB slot.
It was quite a big file, I don't like to think how long it would have taken to do OTA, so maybe it's the same for the MG? Is there any provision to download updates, or don't MG trust customers to do it?

From what i have understood this is the options

1. Infotainment firmware - Should come automatically over the air, via the 4G connection in the car.

2. Satnav maps - At some point MG / Here will set up a webpage, where you can download the latest maps onto a USB stick, and then insert it into the car and select update. If this will be "for free" or paid updates is anyone's guess right now.

3. All other modules - Only MG service garages is able to do updates on these.

 

[Hotlush]

I think the point is people have been missold the car I for one was told the car is capable of OTA updates all systems just like Teslas and other brands that are doing the same so you don't have to visit the dealer as much.
dealers was also told this. now when people are asking for updates it's sorry we was told the wrong information at leat if we was given the right information in the 1st place you can make that decision and go elsewhere just makes me think what next? View attachment 8216

Sorry but I think the issue isn't what they've said, you've just read too much into it.

 

[N2STY]

Sorry but I think the issue isn't what they've said, you've just read too much into it.

May be but I can only go on what the dealers have said funny enough @Miles Roberts CG said in this pod cast that OTA update will not work on Entertainment System lol but can do other updates like battery? So you can see how we/I have gone down the wrong path here is the pod cast go to 1h3m to 1h5m ish

Just to clarify OTA updates was not a must for me but was nice to have and now the information was wrong is just a bit disappointing but not the end of the world

 

[Enucos]

I just got this info from MG Denmark :

"ZS EV MY2022 supports OTA update of the Infotainment Unit and Telematics box firmware If a newer firmware is available, a message will automatically appear on the screen."

 

[Lovemyev]

From what i have understood this is the options

1. Infotainment firmware - Should come automatically over the air, via the 4G connection in the car.

2. Satnav maps - At some point MG / Here will set up a webpage, where you can download the latest maps onto a USB stick, and then insert it into the car and select update. If this will be "for free" or paid updates is anyone's guess right now.

3. All other modules - Only MG service garages is able to do updates on these.

I have posted the same thoughts as yourself early myself and Miles is in agreement.
So there you go then.
It is - what it is !.
Hopefully visits to the dealer will be few and far between then !.
Once a year will do me down to the ground.

 

[mandg6969]

I don't get the obsession with OTA changes. They aren't necessarily in the customer's interest. The manufacturer can make detrimental changes to the specification that existed when the customer bought the car. Citing Apple and Tesla as good examples of OTA "updates" wouldn't be so prevalent with a little research.
Google "Tesla court case over Model S battery downgrade" to see the related articles on owners suing Tesla for throttling the available battery capacity and charging capacity" with an OTA "upgrade". David Rasmussen's case became a class action that was dragged at for a couple of years by Tesla before a settlement was proposed. Norway's courts also decided upon a similar case.
Google "Apple fined for slowing down phones"
As owners we should be informed in advance of the reason for any OTA "upgrade" and given the ability to opt out if its not demonstrably for a safety issue.

 

[hmadsen]

I don't get the obsession with OTA changes. They aren't necessarily in the customer's interest. The manufacturer can make detrimental changes to the specification that existed when the customer bought the car. Citing Apple and Tesla as good examples of OTA "updates" wouldn't be so prevalent with a little research.
Google "Tesla court case over Model S battery downgrade" to see the related articles on owners suing Tesla for throttling the available battery capacity and charging capacity" with an OTA "upgrade". David Rasmussen's case became a class action that was dragged at for a couple of years by Tesla before a settlement was proposed. Norway's courts also decided upon a similar case.
Google "Apple fined for slowing down phones"
As owners we should be informed in advance of the reason for any OTA "upgrade" and given the ability to opt out if its not demonstrably for a safety issue.

So you do not update your mobile phone either ?

Yes, the manufacturer can do stuff, but hey....Your car is connected to the internet via the 4G connectivity, so it might be in your very best interest to update the car to patch potential problems.

With a car connected to the internet all the time, i can honestly say, that the least of my concerns is what the manufacturer is going to do, i am a lot more "worried" what hackers can do.

Imagine a Russian hacker suddenly able to shut down and "wipe" all MG cars...Imagine the chaos, if he attacks cars which are on cell networks in specific (Perceived by Russia) hostile countries. Suddenly not a single MG car in most of the world is able to move.

Or maybe only the cars with owners that did not update the firmware out of fear, what the manufacturer migh do will suffer, while the rest is protected.

From what i have gathered, the infotainment is running android (behind the UI) and last time i checked android devices need constant updating to patch newly found problems. (As do IOS, windows and every other OS)

You are fully entitled to just press cancel every time there is an update, but if you do it out of fear of what the manufacturer has changed, just remember that while you might not have to worry about that, you will need to worry about what everyone else can do to your unpatched car.

The world is not black/white, and every decision you make, has some (potential) good's and bad's down the road., and you need to decide if you trust the manufacturer more or less than the rest of the world, so to speak.

 

[Delboy102000]

I knew that it was only the infotainment, as it is explained in a bit more detail on the Danish MG site.

That being said, it will be interesting to see what "infotainment" covers.

Could be, that all they can do is do bugfixes for the radio, navigation, music streaming services and so on.

But...When i drove my car home the day we picked it up, it was being a bit silly with the navigation, so i naturally did the "Press home button 10 seconds" and when the infotainment system rebooted, the car went into a state of panic, telling me that all of the safety systems were offline.

This lead me to believe that the infotainment also encompasses the driver assist systems, and if this is correct, then they might also be able to fix bugs in those, with the OTA.

But then again....Have anyone that has a 2022 ZS EV ever had their car updated in any way OTA.

I have not seen any updates yet.

I can absolutely confirm no updates of any king over the air on my Trophy. My car was an early arrival, and I had to take it to a dealer for updates to the infotainment system fixing bugs. It needed two USB’s and about an hour of the teccy’s time. If it was done over the air and failed the car would have been bricked and needing recovery.
It is disappointing but I wouldn’t put it stronger than that. I gather I might need to go to dealer again for BMS updates .
Happy days

 

[Delboy102000]

If anyone hears about how they intend to update maps please post, although latest info is they are yet to make up their minds.
Definitely won’t be OTA though.

 

[hmadsen]

If anyone hears about how they intend to update maps please post, although latest info is they are yet to make up their minds.
Definitely won’t be OTA though.

It's incredible how someone can develop some software, and not have a clear idea on how they are going to update the software.

I mean, it seems they have the update function with a USB stick already implemented, so all they have to do really is get the files compiled and put them on a website.

Unless offcourse what they are saying is that they need to figure out, how we are going to pay for the updates

On the other hand, if OTA may fail, and the USB method does not, i would like for them to make the updates available on the internet as well, i would much rather download the files and hand-feed them to the infotainment via USB, with a "guaranteed win" rather than do a sketchy OTA update that might and might not go horribly wrong.

 

[N2STY]

I know it's a different country and a MK1
But would probably go the same way?

 

[hmadsen]

I know it's a different country and a MK1
But would probably go the same way?

Is he doing this via Wifi or USB dongle ?

 

[N2STY]

Is he doing this via Wifi or USB dongle ?

Looks like he downloaded the file on 4g as no WiFi logo was on display?
And the title of vid is 1st OTA update?

 

[hmadsen]

Looks like he downloaded the file on 4g as no WiFi logo was on display?
And the title of vid is 1st OTA update?

Did the Mk1 have 4G in some markets ?

I dont think the ones sold here, has it.

 

[N2STY]

Did the Mk1 have 4G in some markets ?

I dont think the ones sold here, has it.

Yes they also had ismart you will see the 4g on the top right of his screen
UK is the same on Mk1 no 4g

 

[hmadsen]

Yes they also had ismart you will see the 4g on the top right of his screen
UK is the same on Mk1 no 4g

Oh, i read that some asian countries had the app as well on the Mk1

 

[Delboy102000]

It's incredible how someone can develop some software, and not have a clear idea on how they are going to update the software.

I mean, it seems they have the update function with a USB stick already implemented, so all they have to do really is get the files compiled and put them on a website.

Unless offcourse what they are saying is that they need to figure out, how we are going to pay for the updates

On the other hand, if OTA may fail, and the USB method does not, i would like for them to make the updates available on the internet as well, i would much rather download the files and hand-feed them to the infotainment via USB, with a "guaranteed win" rather than do a sketchy OTA update that might and might not go horribly wrong.

I think the map updates will be downloaded to a Usb stick. When you put a blank stick in and press the update button it looks for the file and leaves an imprint on the stick for version checking and presumably license. Let’s hope they make it like my other car the Ssangyong which has totally free maps from Tomtom . You just download and install on the car via an Sd or usb

 

[Coulomb]

My guess is that the UK facelift models will have the same OTA capabilities as the Indian Mk 1 models. They seems to have split the software into 6 pieces: 3 HU (Human User interface?), two TBOX (the ECU that talks to 4G), and 4G firmware (presumably the bottom layers of the internet stack other than hardware).

The hardware (HW) has a 7th version number (presumably not an OTA update ) Though there is such a thing as programmable hardware... Also, that's a lot of digits for a hardware version number. Maybe it's another low level firmware.

So that's 6 or 7 pieces of firmware that can be updated OTA. Not quite such a whopping lie after all, perhaps, though I for one certainly expected Tesla-style updates for everything, and the reality seems to be a long, long way from that.