Software improvement opportunities!

[DangerousDoug]

We've had our MG4 now for two months, and it's a brilliant car! However, there are some deficiencies in the software that could really improve the car still further, and make it truly world-beating. Here's my top 3 list - feel free to add your most important issues. Hopefully MG will check this thread and take note:

1. weak regen - If you've driven EVs for a while, and particularly if you've experienced Tesla or Nissan Leaf, you'll appreciate one-pedal driving. This is one of the greatest aspects of EV driving, but MG are currently throwing this advantage away with weak regen on the MG4. Even the highest "strong" level is pretty weak in relative terms. When coming off the accellerator at 60mph, the power meter shows -22%. Please MG, update the firmware to give us a LOT more regen on "strong" setting, with preferably full single-pedal driving in this mode.

2. Speed limit sensor major flaw - Similarly to our old MG ZS EV, the MG4 recognises speed limit signs, but not sufficiently to be useful. When you turn a corner, it just loses the current limit and shows "--" until is sees another sign. Additionally, it doesn't know the difference between single and dual carrigeway roads while in "national speed limit", so it gives an over-speed alert on dual carrigeways/motorways (as it assumes national speed limit is always 60mph). All other cars I've experienced with this feature, sync with the built-in sat-nav to keep the speed limit sensor current. Please MG, fix this deficiency so we can use the speed limit sensor feature.

3. Sat-nav randomly freezes - when using the actually really good built-in sat-nav (we have a Trophy) occasionally you notice the screen is not updating with your current position - a tap on the screen wakes it up and it updates to current position again. This is of course really bad if you're following the sat-nav, as you could easily miss a turning while it's frozen. Please MG fix this obvious bug.

Even with the above, I enthusiastically recommend the car to everyone I meet, but the above really do need to be addressed.

 

[pharrison84]

I suspect that points 2 and 3 should definitely be fixable, but is the regen not likely to be limited by the hardware?

 

[Torryhun]

Point 1, it's never claimed to be a one pedal car.
Point 2, you should know the limit for the road your on and drive accordingly, not really on the car to do it for you.
Point 3, you've got a bug

 

[siteguru]

Point 2 will never be updated for the SE as there is no satnav. Similarly point 3 is irrelevant for the SE.

Point 1 can be implemented (1-pedal driving) as ACC will bring you to a complete stop, but I don't know if there's a hardware limit to regen ... I know ACC uses the brakes to effect a total stop.

 

[Torryhun]

Point 2 will never be updated for the SE as there is no satnav. Similarly point 3 is irrelevant for the SE.

Point 1 can be implemented (1-pedal driving) as ACC will bring you to a complete stop, but I don't know if there's a hardware limit to regen ... I know ACC uses the brakes to effect a total stop.

Point 1, still seams a bit hit or miss

 

[tsedge]

I don't understand all the fuss about one pedal driving. You'd think cars had only had a single pedal in the past and having to brake a little was some new imposition.

I like the MG4's approach and find one pedal the strange one, I can see how people could get used to it, but you can get used to anything; it doesn't make it better,

 

[bowfer]

I don't understand all the fuss about one pedal driving. You'd think cars had only had a single pedal in the past and having to brake a little was some new imposition.

I like the MG4's approach and find one pedal the strange one, I can see how people could get used to it, but you can get used to anything; it doesn't make it better,

Agreed
Never used one pedal in the leaf, doesn’t do it for me.
Max regen in the 4 is plenty strong enough and, frankly, a bit of a pain in that coming off the throttle triggers the brake lights ( didn’t do that in the Leaf )
Following my own car with my wife driving, it looked like the brake lights were faulty and it needs unnecessarily careful throttle control to avoid them coming on.
Or, of course, go through a few button presses to change the regen level.

 

[PeteC]

I don't understand all the fuss about one pedal driving. You'd think cars had only had a single pedal in the past and having to brake a little was some new imposition.

I like the MG4's approach and find one pedal the strange one, I can see how people could get used to it, but you can get used to anything; it doesn't make it better,

Having had a BMW i3 that would come to a complete stop I really missed that to begin with in the MG and disliked the creep the 4 had. Now I've had time to get used to the 4 I don't mind it at all. There are still times such a stop start slow traffic where I would prefer one pedal (I'm not keen on TJA) but other than that I'm not bothered now and, indeed, find the creep quite handy at times.

 

[DangerousDoug]

Thanks all, for your inciteful comments so far. My feeling re. weak regen is that MG offers 3 settings (the fourth seems to be a combination of the first three) so if a weaker regen is desired, it's there in the options. The problem is there's not even an option for strong regen (as I mentioned, "strong" is in fact "medium" at best) - I do believe this is at least in large part a software issue, indicated by the fact software can select between the existing 3 levels, and other cars (like the Kia e-Niro) has a paddle to induce stronger regen when required (I wish they'd simply put that on a static setting as well). Tesla have shown the way regarding improving core aspects of the car over time, with software updates. Other EV vendors need to follow suit if they're to meet the increasing expectations of EV drivers into the future.

 

[bowfer]

What I really don’t get about regen is that MG have clearly spent a lot of time developing the ‘adaptive’ setting.
So why on earth don’t use that as the default?
What a meeting that must have been.
“Hi guys really excited about the adaptive”
“Yeah….sorry Dave, we’re defaulting to the heavy setting”

 

[tsedge]

What I really don’t get about regen is that MG have clearly spent a lot of time developing the ‘adaptive’ setting.
So why on earth don’t use that as the default?
What a meeting that must have been.
“Hi guys really excited about the adaptive”
“Yeah….sorry Dave, we’re defaulting to the heavy setting”

Totally agree. Left hand not talking to the right hand maybe?

 

[siteguru]

Again it'll be to do with WLTP rules (probably) ... that's the setting that was used for testing so that's what they (have to?) default to.

I agree that Adaptive should be the default - it's what I tend to set anyway as part of my "pre-flight" checklist.

 

[robyn1992smith]

Yep my sat nav in my Trophy freezes too, that’s really annoying.

And mine too doesn’t say the correct speed limit, I know the limits and don’t use those as a guide but it flashes when it believes you’re going over the limit, which is annoying and distracting.

Also another update worthy note, why does the radio not just turn on automatically, you have to go into the radio screen and click a station - most cars just turn the music on what it was last left on as you start the engine

 

[bowfer]

Yep my sat nav in my Trophy freezes too, that’s really annoying.

And mine too doesn’t say the correct speed limit, I know the limits and don’t use those as a guide but it flashes when it believes you’re going over the limit, which is annoying and distracting.

Also another update worthy note, why does the radio not just turn on automatically, you have to go into the radio screen and click a station - most cars just turn the music on what it was last left on as you start the engine

Second point is a fault.
Radio works as you’d expect in my car.

 

[siteguru]

Ditto hear re. radio ... always defaults to the last-listened DAB station.

 

[DevonMG4]

Also another update worthy note, why does the radio not just turn on automatically, you have to go into the radio screen and click a station - most cars just turn the music on what it was last left on as you start the engine

@robyn1992smith - Perhaps we should swap cars, as others have confirmed, general experience is that it always starts in DAB on the last station played - mine tortures me with BBC Radio Cornwall at wake up. I wish it would default to Android Auto as the audio source, as that would be what I last used.

 

[amdmad]

I've been on a 30mph road,the MG sees a side road 20mph sign,so starts flashing the warning sign. I wonder what's going to happen in a few years when cars won't allow users to go over speed limits??

 

[tsedge]

I've been on a 30mph road,the MG sees a side road 20mph sign,so starts flashing the warning sign. I wonder what's going to happen in a few years when cars won't allow users to go over speed limits??

Won't be long, I expect our cars will suddenly brake and keep us at 20mph, mind you they may be self-driving and manual driving could be made illegal.

 

[FiferMG4]

Won't be long, I expect our cars will suddenly brake and keep us at 20mph, mind you they may be self-driving and manual driving could be made illegal.

I’ll probably have popped my clogs by the time that driving manually becomes illegal. Personally, I really enjoy driving and navigating with an old-fashioned road atlas (never use satnav), when on holiday. My son though has shown no interest whatsoever in driving or getting a car and would be perfectly happy in a self-driving car.

Won't be long, I expect our cars will suddenly brake and keep us at 20mph, mind you they may be self-driving and manual driving could be made illegal.

81 Year Old Riding in a self-driving car

 

[KevNoRev]

Point 1, it's never claimed to be a one pedal car.
Point 2, you should know the limit for the road your on and drive accordingly, not really on the car to do it for you.
Point 3, you've got a bug

Point 2 is to do with the Car thinking its in a, (National Speed Limit Signed, single carriageway) 60mph limit when in fact its in a, (National Speed Limit Signed, duel carriageway/motorway) 70mph limit, and flashes incorrectly when doing 65mph on a 70mph road! Very annoying, distracting and dangerous. I have spoken to MGUK about this, (this week) and there is no planed update in the offing......very frustrating.