News: Over The Air (OTA) Updates for MG EVs

[tsedge]

Hi,

You'll see within our latest podcast (recorded yesterday, released soon), there is big news at last on OTA updates in the UK.

MG are finally going to begin to roll these out next year. They will do this progressively model by model, starting with the IM vehicles.

They are beginning with the IMs because there aren't many sold yet and so any teething problems should be manageable, plus this is an expected feature in the premium space.

MG's goal is to bring them to every model that was advertised with them from the moment went on sale, which should include the Cyberster, MGS5 and MG4.

The MG4 is likely to be the last to get these updates because it has had the largest sales and so MG will want to be very confident in the quality of the OTA update experience before enabling it on this model.

Note it isn't guaranteed that all of this will happen, what we are hearing are MGs intentions and we will need to wait and see how this goes and how far the OTA update rollout proceeds.

It is possible some models will not get OTA updates and it is possible it will only be newer versions of some models that do. We shall see.

Please don't ask when a specific car will get this feature: nobody knows.

Nonetheless, this is welcome news.

 

[salty]

Yep, good news. Bout time.

 

[Alb]

Good news in principle but I'm very happy to let someone else be the Guinea Pig

 

[tkmaxx5]

Does this not include MG5 models then?

 

[MG Clive]

Does this not include MG5 models then?

It probably won't apply to vehicles that are no longer in production.

 

[tkmaxx5]

It probably won't apply to vehicles that are no longer in production.

Booooo!
Thanks anyway

 

[tsedge]

Does this not include MG5 models then?

They weren't mentioned and aren't being produced any more, so I doubt they would be included. Were OTA updates ever advertised for the MG5?

Edit: I would have thought this will only apply to the MG4 platform cars and newer vehicles, the MG5 and ZS EV were on different platforms.

 

[tkmaxx5]

I can't honestly remember if they were, but there is a function via the infotainment to check for updates so looks like the tech is there.
TBF the car works fine now so I'm probably in the if it ain't broke don't fix it mindset anyway!

 

[tsedge]

Yes, me too, my MG4 had enough updates about 18 months ago to fix most things and it basically works well.

 

[BarryH]

I can't honestly remember if they were, but there is a function via the infotainment to check for updates so looks like the tech is there.
TBF the car works fine now so I'm probably in the if it ain't broke don't fix it mindset anyway!

WRT "the tech being there", one issue is that older models had slow mobile data speed/bandwidth, so this would limit their suitability for OTA updates of certain models.

 

[salty]

WRT "the tech being there", one issue is that older models had slow mobile data speed/bandwidth, so this would limit their suitability for OTA updates of certain models.

Yep, it'll probably be a lottery who can get them. As with most things, MG.
But at least they are finally introducing them.

 

[Gadget Geek]

It would make more sense to use the VIN's of demonstator cars in MG dealerships to experiment on. Any problems could then be sorted in house with no inconvenience to customers . . . or is that too sensible?

 

[salty]

It would make more sense to use the VIN's of demonstator cars in MG dealerships to experiment on. Any problems could then be sorted in house with no inconvenience to customers . . . or is that too sensible?

Far too sensible.

 

[Susanna]

The FL ZS EV was advertised as having OTA updates.

 

[Rolfe]

My MG4 still won't heat the cabin while it's plugged in but not charging, despite having had an update that was supposed to fix that. There's also something not quite right with the HVAC in that if the AC is on it always blows cold even if the temperature is set to high.

There are still a couple of unfixed bugs bugging me, too. The perennial "it would be nice to be able to turn off the front lights with the car still switched on, without resorting to pulling the fuses", and the SE-only bug of being unable to disable the auto-lock.

What's the chances any of this ever gets fixed?

 

[siteguru]

Para 2? Unlikely

Para 1? Mine doesn't do this.

 

[Kenp1]

My MG4 still won't heat the cabin while it's plugged in but not charging, despite having had an update that was supposed to fix that. There's also something not quite right with the HVAC in that if the AC is on it always blows cold even if the temperature is set to high.

There are still a couple of unfixed bugs bugging me, too. The perennial "it would be nice to be able to turn off the front lights with the car still switched on, without resorting to pulling the fuses", and the SE-only bug of being unable to disable the auto-lock.

What's the chances any of this ever gets fixed?

I don't understand the lights thing either, they should come on when you press the brake pedal, not when you sit down.

 

[Rolfe]

That's not what I mean. I mean that you should be able to sit in the car, swiched on, but with no lights showing. But when you operate the switch to kill the lights, the front lights don't go out.

 

[Kenp1]

I wouldn't expect that, if I start a petrol car I can't turn off the DRLs. I just want it so if I sit in the car at night to get something it doesn't all light up, especially the headlights. It should be like a petrol car, bum on seat accessory mode and no lights, brake pedal ready to drive and lights.

 

[Gomev]

Other EVs have this ability, Tesla for example and my Kona, in fact all Kia/Hyundai I believe. In mine it is called Utility mode operated from the infotainment, basically puts it into accessory mode but with the HV connected so no DRLs and can operate all features such as heater and all 12v stuff but the 12v battery is maintained never goes flat. Not quite camping mode like a Tesla as can't operate it without someone in the car.