[Bill N]

I’ve been facing quite a few issues with my BlueLink app, so emailed the BlueLink team to see about solving the connection issues and also to provide some other feedback.

Credit where it’s due, they replied within 6 hours with a thorough response. One of the things they mention is that a new app with a completely changed UI is coming in May (likely to coincide with the arrival of the Ioniq 5).

Here’s the response in full, which may be of interest:

• 1.) Unstable connection Server – car:
  -> We need a time stamp of on incident not older than 2 days.
• 2.) DTE always displays in km until the app status is refreshed. Why? It should remember the miles setting.
• è Miles need to be set in a 2 step approach (in Head unit or cluster, depends on the car and in the app itself). I guess in the car it’s done, what about the App?
• 
  
• 3.) Why do I need to enter a pin - please use the Face ID / Touch ID.
• è Coming in a new App version around May.
• 
  
• 4.) Why can’t I turn on the heated seats via the app / schedule heating?
• è It would drain the 12V Battery too much.
• 
  
• 5.) Why doesn’t it show me the current charging power in the app?
• è Will come.
• 
  
• 6.) Why do I have to go to a separate menu to change the charge limit - this should be on the remote screen.
• è This is UX/UI policy. Will be same in the new App.
• 7.) Why does the app not show the current temperature in the car next to the target temperature?
• è We had this request a few times in the past weeks. Not sure if the in car temp. Sensor is connected to our modem. I can answer in a later mail.
• 8.) Why doesn’t the app show me the efficiency / consumption of the previous journey and journey history?
• è Will come
• 9.) Why isn’t there widget support? Apple Watch support?
• è Widget will come. Smart watch is under investigation.
• 
  
• 10.) On the 10 inch screen in the car, the home button needs to be moved to the right side of the screen in right hand drive cars. It is too far to reach to the top left corner of the screen in a right hand drive car. Please change this.
• è We will forward this point to the right team.
• 
  
• 11.) It is not very clear in the app if the car is charging or not. This needs to be much more clear. Please use a different colour or something like that to clearly indicate when the car is charging.
• è It’s clearly mentioned in the text below the picture.
• 
  
• 12.) The app UI is very poor with repeated buttons and a very strange layout. What is the point of the home button in the app?? It does nothing at all.
• è UX/UI will change completely with new app. The Map screen is the home screen.

 

[Todor]

Thanks @Bill N , nice job!

 

[Todor]

Just reading through it again, have you worked out what they mean by 2.)?

I can see the setting in my app is "miles", but I still get an initial display of KM. It does change to "miles" after a refresh.

 

[Bill N]

Just reading through it again, have you worked out what they mean by 2.)?

I can see the setting in my app is "miles", but I still get an initial display of KM. It does change to "miles" after a refresh.

Yes - this is what I get too. I need to clarify that to them.

Although, I get the feeling they are probably focussed on this new app now and so I probably don’t expect much to happen with the current app.

It was refreshing to get clear, straight and honest answers to questions though — most unusual!

 

[Todor]

I think it is clear that you got through to the right people, not some marketing or management shill.

 

[idiotzoo]

I had problems with the Kia app displaying km rather than miles. The response I got said this was an issue with the head unit in the car and fixed in the latest firmware. Having had the car in for heater repair, I got the “purple” updatr installed and this does seem to have resolved the issue.

it may be the new app will need the car to be fully updated to work properly, so that’s something to watch out for.

 

[BigAl]

Cant wait, I wonder if our head units in the car would need another software update to help with better communications.

 

[AnotherJoe]

Is it a given that a new Hyundai app means a new Kia one? Am I reading that correctly into the replies?

If so what are the odds they will fix their most egregious error, the picture of a car on the app bears no resemblance whatsoever to the model of ones car.

 

[Todor]

Is it a given that a new Hyundai app means a new Kia one? Am I reading that correctly into the replies?

If so what are the odds they will fix their most egregious error, the picture of a car on the app bears no resemblance whatsoever to the model of ones car.

I would say the chances for the first one are very high, while the second is close to 0 chance.

 

[Metcast]

I've been speaking to the team on and off for nearly a year and they're the ones that told me about the new car software update even before my dealership knew! They are really helpful.

Honestly, a lot of the stuff you mentioned has been a problem for some time but since this is their first EV app. They've done a really good job trying to keep on top of things. It was quite difficult to use in the beginning...

now regarding remote heated seats + steering wheel... this was teased to be arriving in the recent car software update but then I was later told it was pushed back. I also decompiled the android app and so many endpoints referring to remotely controlling "heated seats" and "heated steering wheel". I guess it's been cancelled altogether now. Why do they drain the battery more than cabin heater?

 

[idiotzoo]

I've been speaking to the team on and off for nearly a year and they're the ones that told me about the new car software update even before my dealership knew! They are really helpful.

Honestly, a lot of the stuff you mentioned has been a problem for some time but since this is their first EV app. They've done a really good job trying to keep on top of things. It was quite difficult to use in the beginning...

now regarding remote heated seats + steering wheel... this was teased to be arriving in the recent car software update but then I was later told it was pushed back. I also decompiled the android app and so many endpoints referring to remotely controlling "heated seats" and "heated steering wheel". I guess it's been cancelled altogether now. Why do they drain the battery more than cabin heater?

It's a strange response isn't it. The heated seats are 12v whereas the cabin heater runs from the high voltage battery I believe, but you'd expect that it's possible to close the HV contactors for anything being activated on a timer, so it's running from the DC/DC converters rather than the battery. But maybe there's some regulatory reason they can't.

 

[Dnwilson01]

It's a strange response isn't it. The heated seats are 12v whereas the cabin heater runs from the high voltage battery I believe, but you'd expect that it's possible to close the HV contactors for anything being activated on a timer, so it's running from the DC/DC converters rather than the battery. But maybe there's some regulatory reason they can't.

You would think that they could restrict the functionality to either (or both) when the vehicle is set to top up the 12v battery from the traction battery, or only allow its use for a short period before a planned departure time (eg 10-15 mins). That would address a large percentage of my use cases and I'm pretty sure most peoples

 

[Bill N]

Screenshot of what looks to be the home screen of the media system in the Ioniq 5.

Wonder if this could possibly be coming to the Kona too in the next update.

 

[Metcast]

Screenshot of what looks to be the home screen of the media system in the Ioniq 5.

Wonder if this could possibly be coming to the Kona too in the next update.

View attachment 141987

It shares a lot of similarities with the recently updated Home Screen. Weather on the left, navigation route on the right and time top right, Driver profile in top left.

If you email Hyundai developers they can add you onto the beta testing for the new app. I've signed up and it's supposed to be starting this week!