Keeping track of software updates for the head unit

[timurrrr]

So apparently the head units in gen.2 cars can be updated via Wi-Fi.

I checked and the "System information" menu shows that my 2022 GR86 has software version T41CMM101-880.
Please post if you get a software update past the latest-known version,
as well as your experience with the update (new bugs/instability? major improvements?),
so that others can decide if they want to update vs wait out.

Also curious what Subaru and Toyota will do with these head units.
Do you think they will do just the bare minimum of fixing the worst bugs in the head unit?
Or do you think they'll add a feature or two over the next few years?
Or maybe some really cool features?

Also curious if the software for the gauge cluster will be updated together with the head unit (e.g. to allow toggling display modes of the left third while in Track mode) or not.

[timurrrr]

In my experience so far, the head unit works pretty solid.
The only issue I've experienced so far is that every once in a while it shows a "Bluetooth something connectivity lost something" dialog while using Android Auto.
But to my surprise when that happens AA actually keeps working behind that dialog, so I simply need to tap the "OK" button and forget about it.

One thing I wish they added to the head unit is a small app where you can specify the start/finish for the lap timer on a map.
It's a shame that in a 2022 car I need to press a button for each lap to make the built-in lap timer work.
The fact that the lap timer is shown and can't be hidden in the gauge cluster in Track mode only makes this more annoying
I presume the car already knows its GPS/GLONASS/etc. coordinates with sufficient precision, and creating an app to drop a pin on a map is not too difficult (I am a software engineer myself), so the only real blockers I see is prioritization and complexity of integration.

[Tcoat]

If they follow the pattern with both of my wife's Subaru just make a standing appointment to have the head unit bug fixes and even recalls done every 2 months or so. I have never seen so many notices as she gets just for the head units!

[Yoshoobaroo]

Originally Posted by timurrrr

One thing I wish they added to the head unit is a small app where you can specify the start/finish for the lap timer on a map.
It's a shame that in a 2022 car I need to press a button for each lap to make the built-in lap timer work.
The fact that the lap timer is shown and can't be hidden in the gauge cluster in Track mode only makes this more annoying
I presume the car already knows its GPS/GLONASS/etc. coordinates with sufficient precision, and creating an app to drop a pin on a map is not too difficult (I am a software engineer myself), so the only real blockers I see is prioritization and complexity of integration.

There’s no map software in the car though. It just spits coordinates out for telematics and emergency services. Seems like a huge feature to add after the fact. Maps also need updates so I’m not surprised manufacturers are dropping native GPS apps in favor of CarPlay/AA.

[timurrrr]

Originally Posted by Yoshoobaroo

There’s no map software in the car though. It just spits coordinates out for telematics and emergency services. Seems like a huge feature to add after the fact. Maps also need updates so I’m not surprised manufacturers are dropping native GPS apps in favor of CarPlay/AA.

Yeah, I totally understand that making a navigation app and keeping it up to date would be a massive project.

Rendering satellite imagery and allowing pan/zoom/drop a pin next to your current location would be a much smaller project though, especially given that companies like Google already provide APIs to render/fetch their maps.

But it's a fair point that if there's just no existing map software for this head unit, period, then it's a lot of overhead that might be not worth for a simple "drop a pin on the map" app...

[timurrrr]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

If they follow the pattern with both of my wife's Subaru just make a standing appointment to have the head unit bug fixes and even recalls done every 2 months or so. I have never seen so many notices as she gets just for the head units!

Are you saying that OTA updates are not sufficient?
Maybe her Subarus have older head units that can only be updated at the dealer?
Or does every other OTA brick the HUs?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by timurrrr

Are you saying that OTA updates are not sufficient?
Maybe her Subarus have older head units that can only be updated at the dealer?
Or does every other OTA brick the HUs?

Was a 2017 Impreza and an 18 Outback. These were not just updates but some were actual recalls. I doubt the BRZ will have the same issues but the Subaru track record for head units just plain sucks anyway.

[Robotaz]

Mine says connected to wifi and then an error message and has since new. Pointless, and not happy about it.

“A software download error occurred.
Please try again.”

Does this over and over. I have no idea how to fix it. Seems really stupid and buggy to the point of being pitiful.

I found this in the manual and of course the clock is set correctly. I can’t think of anyway to trick it back to working so I guess I’ll have to drive an hour to the dealer and have them tell me I have to drop it off, which I can’t do over this issue and have no car an hour away for one or more days.

I don’t understand what cellular phone reception has to do with the clock and data downloads over wifi.

Edit - So I had initially been forced to set the clock to manual because it was not setting. Changing it to auto, now the time is correct and it now correctly checks for updates. Problem solved.

[2020BRZtS]

On the 2020 BRZ OTA updates were also available. They were slow and cumbersome but I also found that I could download them to my phone, plug the phone in to the car, and update through the MySubaru app. I think the manual showed they could be updated from a USB stick also.

[Flarpswitch]

Originally Posted by Yoshoobaroo

There’s no map software in the car though. It just spits coordinates out for telematics and emergency services. Seems like a huge feature to add after the fact. Maps also need updates so I’m not surprised manufacturers are dropping native GPS apps in favor of CarPlay/AA.

I don't miss the baked in navigation on the 2022. I just downloaded what I believe to be the last update for the Tom Tom nav system for our 2019 Ascent. If I believe what I read, my subscription is about to run out. The only time I use the native nav system in the Ascent is if I accidentally press the dedicated button. I use mostly Waze, Apple Maps and Google maps in that order. Not likely I will be forking over for a renewed subscription. My RV has Rand McNally which has a lifetime subscription, but is about to become obsolete. Yeah, it is expensive to keep things going with little or no new money coming in. This reminds me about what happened to all the Skype Phone hardware that I had that worked really great and then Microsoft bought Skype and made lots of changes that bricked everything. Their explanation was that it was to "Enhance the user experience." Right.

[The Red One]

Just in the process of getting my last free NAV updates for my 2019 as the free subscription ends in a week, Happy birthday BRZ… I will not be updating after that, as mentioned there are now so many free alternatives. Waze always comes up automatically when I plug in my phone.

I do like a native NAV in a vehicle as I don’t need to have a phone with me.

The first time I did the map upgrade a year ago I had used an older USB key and when the HU started the install there was a reset for the install to continue & I got a error that “no USB found” and could not get out of the loop, Thinking I had just bricked the HU!
Re-downloaded on a brand new USB with a current usb standard and all went ok.

As for the HU update via WiFi I never noticed any update being done. But do see the WiFi msg checking for Updates while the car gets rolled out of the garage..

[Spektyr]

Originally Posted by timurrrr

But it's a fair point that if there's just no existing map software for this head unit, period, then it's a lot of overhead that might be not worth for a simple "drop a pin on the map" app...

Another thing to keep in mind is that civilian GPS is deliberately sabotaged to reduce accuracy to something 16 feet minimum (meaning that under many conditions the accuracy is within more than 16 feet.)

At 100mph that's about 0.11s accuracy on your lap time. Which isn't terrible, but it's also not accurate. And if there's anything at all interfering with the GPS it gets less accurate.

[Flarpswitch]

Originally Posted by Spektyr

Another thing to keep in mind is that civilian GPS is deliberately sabotaged to reduce accuracy to something 16 feet minimum (meaning that under many conditions the accuracy is within more than 16 feet.)

At 100mph that's about 0.11s accuracy on your lap time. Which isn't terrible, but it's also not accurate. And if there's anything at all interfering with the GPS it gets less accurate.

Pinpoint accuracy is not sabotaged. With a good GPS unit, you can be within a few centimeters so long as you have a clear shot to three or four satellites. However, typical accuracy with a smartphone is about 16 ft. Civilian blocking was lifted years ago, but that could change in a minute.

[2020BRZtS]

Originally Posted by Flarpswitch

Pinpoint accuracy is not sabotaged. With a good GPS unit, you can be within a few centimeters so long as you have a clear shot to three or four satellites. However, typical accuracy with a smartphone is about 16 ft. Civilian blocking was lifted years ago, but that could change in a minute.

+1 If I walk my property with my phone I can see the house number change between 101 and 119. My house number is 103 and my closest neighbor is 121. The original plans for my house have the address as 107 and the builder moved the house on the lot so my front door is at 103. That's close enough for me.