Benefits of connecting to WiFi?

[munkiev]

Here is a random benefit to the Wi-Fi. My business Wi-Fi has gone down today so with a bit of out the box thinking we are using the car's Wi-Fi to keep everything indoors going. This includes internet and phoneline. Granted its not fast but it is working. Range seems to max out at 20 feet.

 

[gredie]

But this is the other way around, isn't it? As I understand it, you'r using your car as wifi hotspot (because your business wifi is down) and not connecting the MG to your wifi as client - correct?

 

[pmknowles]

The problem is WiFi is pretty power hungry, and in the MG I'm pretty sure it is implemented in the infotainment head unit (or the BCU), which means keeping that powered up as well. The 12V battery would take a big hit.

WiFi isn't any more power hungry than the mobile signal. They're probably using an ESP32 which in full transmit mode with draw about 0.75W and 0.1W in listen mode. I have virtually no mobile signal (for the MG4) in my village so the app is useless to me while I'm at home so the ability to occasionally communicate via WiFi would be helpful. If I send a route to the car I can drive for quite a few miles before the car will receive it.

 

[Spaniard]

With the monthly absurd limitation of 4G data and knowing that the USB OTA files easily exceed 1GB, it wouldn't be a surprise that OTA updates, if they're ever enabled, will be only available on a WiFi connection.

The other useful utility of the WiFi would be using your own 4G/5G hotspot to serve data to the car when you have exceeded the car's data limit, or if you want still to have traffic data without renewing subscription with SAIC after those free 5 years