Who updates their SE software?

They typically only do updates if you're having a problem.

 

My dealer told me they only update software to fix an issue, but I did convince them to update mine (my version was really old, being one of the first SEs delivered). They charged me one hour of labor, which I thought was reasonable. It didn't make any noticeable change, but I felt better. In the US we get OTA navigation updates, which is the bigger deal. I noticed a number of mapping errors that have been corrected with the navigation updates.

 

I love the fact that we don’t need software updates. Unlike this ID.4 driver who is waiting for an update to fix all of the beta software they saddled him with.

 

The dated software experience, lack of wifi, and no chance of meaningful updates are all disappointing aspects of the car. Definitely an indicator of an ICE conversion rather than an entry into the modern world.

 

I see the Oxford SE as a bridge to the world of sporty EVs. I love the heritage interior and exterior and don't miss the features Tesla owners take for granted, like OTA software updates. I'm glad MINI didn't have to jack up the price to include such features (many of which would likely have been lost due to the chip shortage). I was initially disappointed that the MINI-E turned into a BMW i3 instead of a production MINI Electric. Now I'm happy to benefit from BMW's years of experience producing the i3.

These are the good old days in the era of small, sporty EVs.

 

Speaking of the i3, that reminds me back in 2016 when a car thief in London forgot to turn off the dashcam.

 

Lack of OTA updates I think is more a sign of old-school car maker thinking. With ICE cars it was okay to limit software updates to service visits because: 1) there wasn't much software in cars that could be updated, and 2) ICE cars go in for service regularly for other reasons.

BEVs are moving cars into the world of computers on wheels, and owner expectations are changing. Tesla clearly shows how effective OTA updating is, and other car makers need to realize it's a new world of owner experience. BMW (MINI) has the underpinnings for OTA updates, but they seem reticent to make the leap.

 

Wait, so we can't update the software on the Mini ourselves?

I didn't even think about that. My 2013 Hyundai gives me the option to download updates to a USB stick to perform my own updates.

 

The SE actually has that as well but MINI (BMW) doesn't make any files available to download, at least none I've found.

 

Here are 3 relevant snippets from the MINI Navigation/Entertainment/Communication Manual:

 

I wouldn’t mind the lack of updates if the experience were perfect. Dated on arrival map OTAs, random CarPlay bugs (that are the fault of the head unit), even simple LED light color has amnesia switching away from profile color at random despite a single key and profile used. The safety/ACC system near daily bugs out in situations it should not. Some people are waiting months to a year for a bug fix on their missing back up lines…

I’ve got plenty of feature requests but simple bug fixes is where I’d be happy.

 

Are bugs more common on 2022+ models? We have a 2021 that has been pretty great, the only annoyance being the occasional CarPlay glitch requiring a re-pairing from scratch (has happened about 3-4 times in 2 years, but it does require you to pull over and fiddle with it for 5+ minutes to get going again). Other than that - no problems. The tech is definitely modest, but the fact that it has worked reliably has made life easy. Hopefully our 2023 model will be just as good.

CarPlay hasn’t been perfect on any car I have owned or driven. I can honestly say it’s been best in the MINI. I do wonder if it can run in wired mode for better reliability. Certainly the phone wouldn’t heat up as much.

I know this is somewhat sacrilege among internet car folks, but I vastly preferred the Tesla system to CarPlay. Jump in the car with phone in pocket, navigation and Spotify work immediately and without fuss. Phone doesn’t lose any charge since it’s not being used. CarPlay itself really seems like a bandaid for poor auto tech.

 

I'm curious what would be a head unit issue? CarPlay is all done on the phone, the head unit is basically just display and controls. I find CarPlay in the SE to be a very reliable experience. The only issue I've run into is the audio doesn't switch back to the radio after a phone call, and that's been an Apple CarPlay bug (they fixed it once but it got re-introduced recently).

 

Is this a bug or a feature deleted on lower trims with the 2022 LCI? I don't believe I've read any Iconic owner report their SE is missing the back-up guidelines. Has anyone ever had this "bug" fixed?

 

This deserved a shout out rather than simply clicking like! It made me laugh and also want to start decorating for Halloween...

 

Content displayed on the screen is entirely the phone, but everything else is the head unit. The technical details of who is responsible for what is openly documented. Every manufacturer essentially implements or reimplements the protocols CarPlay expects and that opens a lot of room for error.

Most commonly in my SE the link errors out in an unrecoverable way. Audio and display performance grinds to a halt, stutters, and/or glitches non-stop making it completely unusable. Rebooting the phone does not help when in this state. Only resolves when the car is off for 10-15 minutes and the head unit reboots or resumes from a deep sleep state. It's also completely horrible at handling more than one device. These are not broad CarPlay issues as other OEM and aftermarket vehicles haven't had these problems in my experience. I've never had wired issues but that's also not an option for us.

 

I have never experienced anything like that with CarPlay in my SE (I have an iPhone 12 Pro). Maybe an issue you can have fixed under warranty?

 

Just curious which model of iPhone you use? I used to have quite a few glitches on iPhone XS Max. I got an iPhone 12 (non-Pro) last year and most CarPlay issues disappeared. Much more reliable.