Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

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crustyman
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Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by crustyman »

I've noticed our ZS EV that we picked up only a week ago seems to have most of the "comfort 2" update features like the outside temp display on the infotainment screen and the less annoying "bongs" but one thing that isn't up to date is that the range display does not show on the bottom left of the instrument cluster, it still has the time.

Has anyone got any idea why this is the case and is this something I can alter or do I need to get the dealer to take a look at the update?
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by FyKnight »

Can you post a photo of your instrument cluster showing the time? I picked my MG ZS EV up in early January and it always shows the range remaining in the bottom left of the instrument cluster. I do have the outside temp displayed on the infotainment screen too.

However...the forward emergency brake comes on all the time even when a long way from the next car (or even for a dip or corner in the road) and so I manually disable it every time I start the car (if I remember). The lane departure warning also comes on randomly for some drives... So I don't know if this means I have an older or a newer firmware! I'd like to get to the bottom of the situation too.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by crustyman »

Well that's weird we only picked it up a week ago but definitely has the time and not the remaining range in the bottom left of the instrument cluster.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by coulomb »

crustyman wrote: Sat, 08 May 2021, 16:51 Well that's weird we only picked it up a week ago but definitely has the time and not the remaining range in the bottom left of the instrument cluster.
Same here.
Time at bottom left of driver display.jpg
Time at bottom left of driver display.jpg (56.56 KiB) Viewed 2330 times
Picture taken at 7:34pm (19:34 in 24 hour format). Edit: the time is at that corner of almost every page of the driver's display (smaller display behind the steering wheel).
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by FyKnight »

This is what mine shows:
IMG_4294.jpg
IMG_4294.jpg (52.74 KiB) Viewed 2327 times
What do you folks have as the SW Version in the infotainment screen? You can find it under Setup > System > SW Version.
Mine is: ZS11_E_AUS_NAV_31.03_200601_R
And my HW Version is: HW001
I don't know if this would be the same firmware that runs the driver's instrument display but it's possible.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by coulomb »

FyKnight wrote: Sat, 08 May 2021, 18:06What do you folks have as the SW Version in the infotainment screen? You can find it under Setup > System > SW Version.
Mine is: ZS11_E_AUS_NAV_31.03_200601_R
And my HW Version is: HW001
Yup, same here. That can be updated from home. It seems like MG just bought a license for the navigation software, delegating that issue to the experts that serve many manufacturers. As far as I know, none of the vehicle firmware, like the BMU, can be updated or even have the version number inspected by owners. Though some over in the UK forums do quote version numbers. I'd say that they are digging this out of CAN data.

I would be happy to purchase the MG equivalent of LeafSpy. I haven't seen anything so far.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by FyKnight »

Ah thanks for that info! Have you seen the group adding OVMS support for the MG? I believe it's the equivalent to LeafSpy. Plugs into the OBDII port and talks to the car over the CAN bus(es). There's a subforum on the mgevs forum for it. They have got pretty far with it, though it's still a work in progress. Last I saw they are trying to decode something to do with sending commands to preheat the seats.

You can buy the OVMS system from the openvehicles website but I think it's a few hundred dollars for all the components you need. There's folks reverse engineering the official Thai MG app which talks to the car over a mobile connection. Apparently we don't have mobile connections in our MGs in Australia (nor in the UK) which I'm actually glad about. With the OVMS device you can have a SIM card to control it from anywhere, or just use a wifi connection from nearby.

I'm thinking about getting one... but again, I'll probably wait until the new car smell has completely gone :D

Another option that I've seen UK MG EV owners discuss is a way to use overseas apps with a standard bluetooth OBDII dongle, which is much cheaper. Something like $15 for them. Obviously range then is less than Wifi but you could add a small computer to it like a Raspberry Pi.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by coulomb »

FyKnight wrote: Sat, 08 May 2021, 18:06 This is what mine shows:
IMG_4294.jpg (Has range remaining in bottom left corner of instrument display)
I don't believe that the firmware version of the infotainment system is relevant here. There are about 21 other computers, each with their own firmware versions. I think the relevant one to the main comfort 2 package feature that some of us are missing (the range remaining in the bottom left corner of the small, instrument cluster screen) is controlled by the IPK (Instrument Pack) firmware. Mine is version S190724-09, when all the UK, Costa Rica, etc owners that responded have version S200425-09. The second through seventh characters of the version number seem to be a date in YYMMDD format; if so, mine is some nine months older than the others.

@KyKnight, would it be possible to check the version number of your instrument cluster? The easiest way is with the Thai Android app, which can be downloaded from the first post here: Project OBD2 - Mobile App v1.2.1. All you need is an OBD2 dongle that has ATPPS support (none of the really cheap ones do), and it has to have classic Bluetooth support (not just Bluetooth-BLE, or WiFi).

It would be great to see some more Australian firmware version numbers; see this post for mine (extracted the hard way, while I wait for a different OBD2 dongle).
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by coulomb »

coulomb wrote: Sat, 08 May 2021, 19:06 I would be happy to purchase the MG equivalent of LeafSpy. I haven't seen anything so far.
There are two apps that support the ZS EV in some form. The most promising to me is the Car Scanner ELM OBD2, which I think is available for iOS and certainly for Android. It has quite a few useful, ZS specific PIDs already loaded. It supports Bluetooth classic and Bluetooth-BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy).

Torque (Pro and Lite) have support for custom PIDs, and there is a file that can be imported into Torque Pro that gives you access to them all; see this post. Some are saying that Torque Pro is no longer available for iOS.

Then there is also the Thai app that can be downloaded from this post. It's pretty fragile though (e.g. allowing it to rotate to landscape mode causes it to crash). But it's the only easy way of getting firmware version numbers.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

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coulomb wrote: Sun, 23 May 2021, 19:35 @KyKnight, would it be possible to check the version number of your instrument cluster? The easiest way is with the Thai Android app, which can be downloaded from the first post here: Project OBD2 - Mobile App v1.2.1. All you need is an OBD2 dongle that has ATPPS support (none of the really cheap ones do), and it has to have classic Bluetooth support (not just Bluetooth-BLE, or WiFi).
Awesome, I will get one of those dongles and find out! Thanks for leading the way :D

So ATPPS is an AT command, wow the influence of Hayes runs deep, it's been a long time since I used that command set. Maybe I could make an Australian MG app. My day job (one of them) is iPhone app development... but what would it do other than read the firmware version?
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by coulomb »

FyKnight wrote: Mon, 24 May 2021, 15:46 So ATPPS is an AT command, wow the influence of Hayes runs deep, it's been a long time since I used that command set.

I think that it's been extended a lot since the days when 2400 baud was really fast :)
Maybe I could make an Australian MG app. My day job (one of them) is iPhone app development...
You could join the mgevhackers slack group, and help maintain or improve the OVMS app. They're stuck at the moment trying to crack the body ECU authentication, so they can access climate control and the like remotely.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by FyKnight »

coulomb wrote: Mon, 24 May 2021, 17:11
FyKnight wrote: Mon, 24 May 2021, 15:46 So ATPPS is an AT command, wow the influence of Hayes runs deep, it's been a long time since I used that command set.

I think that it's been extended a lot since the days when 2400 baud was really fast :)
Hahaha yes connecting at 300 baud was the worst! It was great when I "acquired" a 9600 baud modem.. all the flashy ANSI colour BBSes became usable... /memories. Actually, 2400 is probably enough for what we need out of OBD2. btw My Vgate Car Pro is on its way and I'll report my version numbers when it arrives.
coulomb wrote: Mon, 24 May 2021, 17:11
Maybe I could make an Australian MG app. My day job (one of them) is iPhone app development...
You could join the mgevhackers slack group, and help maintain or improve the OVMS app. They're stuck at the moment trying to crack the body ECU authentication, so they can access climate control and the like remotely.
Thanks I did find that group before but I don't have a use for the mobile connectivity of the OVMS hardware, especially not the climate control. Sydney ain't that cold and I want to save energy, not use more! It'd be a fun project but I think instead I''ll try to add DC charging support to OpenEVSE, so I can connect solar through a high voltage MPPT controller, and avoid the losses from buffer batteries, inverters and the OBC.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

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crustyman wrote: Sat, 08 May 2021, 16:51 Well that's weird we only picked it up a week ago but definitely has the time and not the remaining range in the bottom left of the instrument cluster.
@Crustyman, as a point of interest, where did you pick up your ZS EV from? I'm starting to think that some dealers aren't applying the comfort 2 update completely or properly. Mine is from Motorama MG at Moorooka, Brisbane.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by Nagaman »

Early adopters are in the same boat helping each other (owners/dealerships) out it seems.
I rang to book the 3 month/3000km check and was asked who said I needed it (a battery balance check) …….they are learning too.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by coulomb »

When I was getting the 1 month checkover done, I mentioned the lack of the range remaining figure on the instrument display. The guy behind the desk said you should talk to the service manager, back next week. So I made an appointment.

That was today. After waiting an hour (he was busy on other cars, they said), someone scanned the car, and it was announced that 6 modules needed updating! And it would take a full day! One module on its own is said to take 4 hours to apply. I find that astonishing, but maybe there is (partial?) battery equalisation involved. It's booked in for next Monday.

No charge for this. So I'm very happy, particularly that I'll likely get the lower maximum charge voltage. Any comforts, including range in the instrumentation display, are a bonus.

I'll be checking what versions change after the updates.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by Nagaman »

I’ve noticed sitting in the car whilst charging and with the power ON, the charge % , range and time to full are shown.
It beats me why % can’t be shown when the battery toggle is activated……….a switch with no use when the range is displayed permanently .
Speed sign recognition is better than the Tesla however.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

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Nagaman wrote: Tue, 01 Jun 2021, 11:12 It beats me why % can’t be shown when the battery toggle is activated……….a switch with no use when the range is displayed permanently .
Speed sign recognition is better than the Tesla however.
I wholeheartedly agree. About the only way to to see the SOC% while driving now is to install OVMS at considerable expense, and a heads-up display gizmo, and program the heads up display to show SOC% (I think it might do that as standard).
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by coulomb »

Yesterday my ZS went in for software updates. It took about 7 hours, and 6 modules were updated, as promised.

If you're interested in the exact firmware versions that changed, it's in this post.

The range is displayed on the instrument LCD as it should, the infotainment delay is a little less, and that annoying warning about the RDS being activated is gone. The tyre pressure display is now in bars; I thought it was in kilopascals. No biggie, though I do prefer SI units. I thought that the hesitancy when starting off on ECO mode was less, but I'll need to drive it some more to be sure. I'm yet to find out what the car will charge to; there is no spare solar power to charge it at present, and tomorrow there will be rain or at least major clouding.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by KlinkPC »

"The tyre pressure display is now in bars"
Hi Mike
you can change that in Setup - Display - Unit Settings
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by coulomb »

I just noticed today that I have album art on the infotainment screen. Pretty small, and with a large circle in the middle for the pause/play button, but still.

At first, I thought that this was another enhancement with the firmware updates, but the infotainment ECU (called FICM in the ZS app, but ICE in OVMS) hasn't been changed. I guess it's because I didn't bother putting much album art on my USB stick, which I copied from the Leaf's, as the Leaf doesn't display it. I'll go looking for art when I get around to it. I have a bit collected, because the music app I used to use on my phone uses it.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by reecho »

coulomb wrote: Sat, 12 Jun 2021, 10:57 I just noticed today that I have album art on the infotainment screen. Pretty small, and with a large circle in the middle for the pause/play button, but still.
I use a program called Mp3tag. Brilliant for updating Album Art.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by coulomb »

reecho wrote: Sat, 12 Jun 2021, 14:27I use a program called Mp3tag. Brilliant for updating Album Art.
Thanks for the tip. I had it installed, never used it much. But I will now!

It looks like it's not Album art, but actually per-song art. Or can you leave a .jpeg in the album folder and it will pick that up if there is no art stored in the song?

It's a shame about the rounding, and especially the round part in the middle, that tends to obscure the artist's face! The photo below doesn't do justice to the ZS EV's brilliant screen; Back To The Future part 1 looks gorgeous in it.

Album art in infotainment sm2.jpg
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by coulomb »

coulomb wrote: Tue, 08 Jun 2021, 09:32= I'm yet to find out what the car will charge to;
It fully charged today. 94% SOC (per the Car Scanner app), and 452 V (app and car display). My understanding is that the new limits would be 93% and 450 V, so that's puzzling.

Maybe they decided that the 93% upper limit was a little too far down, and compromised on 94%.

It balanced for between 15 and 30 minutes; I wasn't watching close enough to see exactly when it stopped.
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by Nagaman »

Ours tops at 451v
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Re: Software has some but not all Comfort 2 features

Post by FyKnight »

coulomb wrote: Sun, 23 May 2021, 19:35 I think the relevant one to the main comfort 2 package feature that some of us are missing (the range remaining in the bottom left corner of the small, instrument cluster screen) is controlled by the IPK (Instrument Pack) firmware. Mine is version S190724-09, when all the UK, Costa Rica, etc owners that responded have version S200425-09. The second through seventh characters of the version number seem to be a date in YYMMDD format; if so, mine is some nine months older than the others.

@FyKnight, would it be possible to check the version number of your instrument cluster? The easiest way is with the Thai Android app, which can be downloaded from the first post here: Project OBD2 - Mobile App v1.2.1. All you need is an OBD2 dongle that has ATPPS support (none of the really cheap ones do), and it has to have classic Bluetooth support (not just Bluetooth-BLE, or WiFi).
I received the VGate dongle ages ago of course but got stuck into all-consuming work and haven't been driving anywhere anyway (lockdown). So, sorry for the long delay.

I don't have an Android phone so I did it the hard way from my Macbook following your log on the mgevs forum. Bluetooth pairing was tricky* but once I got it to work it was very solid. It only took a few seconds to get the IPK version... after stuffing around for half an hour trying and failing to get the terminal driver or frontends to treat CR as CRLF... I settled for converting CR to LF, at least that was legible.

ANYway the IPK version is S200425-09, same others' responses (and I see you have been upgraded to this one now too, great)

Terminal log FYI:

Code: Select all

>ati
ELM327 v2.2
>atsp6
OK
>ath1
OK
>atsh 760
OK
>22f194
768 10 0D 62 F1 94 53 32 30
768 21 30 34 32 35 2D 30 39
Are there any other interesting firmware versions I should look at?

For those who want to do the same:
I did this without installing any software on my Mac at all. The two builtin MacOS terminal options are cu and screen. I preferred the former and invoked it like this:

Code: Select all

$ sudo cu -l /dev/tty.Android-Vlink-SPPDev -s 9600
Then in another window to convert CRs to LFs so you can read something:

Code: Select all

sudo stty -f /dev/tty.Android-Vlink-SPPDev icrnl
The sudo is not necessary with screen, but screen opens the file exclusively and doesn't let stty work.

*: the Options button appears for only half a second, and you have to click it to enter the pairing code
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