Rob#2

I'd like to "revive" this thread a bit. My silverado only has onstar based maps, but my corvette has factory Nav, both are 2014 models and I was thinking, if I can download the firmware from my vette, then hopefully I can upload it to my truck. I don't speak Russian, but both of the videos below are very similar in showing how to "hack" the mylink system or at least get you to the windows based OS/ file system.

Additionally, hopefully those that didn't purchase NAV can upgrade their system without a need for an HMI change.

*** English ***

*** Russian ***

Flame Red

Thanks for posting. There must be a similar process for the IO5/6 HMI.

I don't think you could get NAV just from a software update though. The HMI IO6 modules that support NAV are different from the IO5 that do not.

http://stores.ebay.com/SPEEDOMETER-S...23796228&_sc=1

I see the above folks now offer the '17 HMI module, but they have this note:

So it sounds like if you have a '14 or '15 and you want Android Auto/CarPlay you have to get their '16 HMI with the older maps and not the newer '17 HMI with the newer maps?

brentil

Those radios are running Windows Mobile CE where ours run Linux. The process of working with them is completely different for both management and flashing.

The reason you need a new HMI is the need for the hardware changes for adding navigation. It's not just a software update but you additionally need the different module that has GPS hookups.

You also can't just flash one car's firmware on another too as they're typically car specific for the features designed into it.

brentil

That's correct. If you look at some of the first posts in this thread you'll see the hardware was drastically changed from the MY15 to MY16 devices and the MY17 appears to be the same as the MY16. They increased storage space, memory, and processing power needed to run the CarPlay/Android Auto that the older models are incapable of doing. Using the older MY14 versus a MY16 is very slow and cumbersome compared to the newer much faster models.

Kent1999

Is it possible for a dealer to update a radio unit to a newer firmware? Just an update to the latest version for that year, NOT going from one year to a newer year, or non-nav to nav.

Or is it just whatever version your HMI was built with, you're stuck with that version forever?

brentil

That they can do. You can check to see if you have the latest version or not too.

You can get the Firmware/Software (SW) version of your system by pressing the POWER+HOME+MENU buttons at the same time while in accessory mode or the car is running. You don't have to hold them for long, just pushing them all at once and letting go will trigger the menu.

Then look for BUILDVERSION_LABEL (there are two setting with that name). Then look at the third post of this thread and see if the last digits are the latest for your MY or not.

LT1 Z51

The HMI Modules are the "2nd Generation" MyLink/Intellilink and "1st Generation" CUE systems. The older systems (which have clearly inferior graphics) that you see in the 1st Gen Cruze, the 2nd Gen Equinox, and the 2nd Gen Terrain (as well as a bunch of cars of that vintage) is based on something totally different (Windows CE from what Brentil posts).

I'm still trying to figure out hardware wise what is different about "Gen3" MyLink/"Gen 2" CUE, those are the ones which have an interface similar, but not exactly the same as our Corvette (compare a Corvette to a MY16 Camaro). I think same HW, just different SW?

Flame Red

That is interesting. I contacted Digital Dash Solutions and asked them if they can sell the '17 HMI as part of the kit to '14/'15 vettes so I could enjoy the newer maps and the faster hardware and they said no, needed to use their '16 kit even though they sell the '17 HMI. I suspect they have inventory of '16 HMI and they want to get rid of them first before they start using their inventory of '17 HMI units.

brentil

I believe my 2014 is a MyLink Gen 2 at least, those are all of the HMI 2.0 devices. I think the MY15, 16, & 17 Stingrays are also considered Gen 2 MyLink. I'm not exactly sure what the MyLink Gen3 devices are, but from what I looked up for the question after this one my guess is MyLink Gen 3 & CUE Gen 2 are mainly going to be software upgrades on top of the existing HMI 2.5 hardware. The HMI 2.5 is leaps more powerful than the 2.0 and contains the same connectivity features of a modern smartphone. If it was coming in the newest Cady's or soon other devices then it would have needed to have passed the FCC already. Since my last post on the software versions they've pushed out 2 more updates for the HMI 2.5 firmware I need to review.

I haven't seen anything come through the FCC yet for there being a new HMI module which would require filing with them because of the wireless standards it uses. I just checked right now to make sure and the HMI 2.5 from 2015 was the last one, so there hasn't been a new version or revision.

LT1 Z51

HMI 1.x seems limited to early versions of CUE. But I think it was the same interface up until the 2.5 HW, then it's Gen 2. It seems Corvette is one of the few who kept the older Gen 2MyLink interface even on the newer hardware 2.5 HW. I remember the Impala having the same interface as the Corvette in 2014, but now it looks like the Camaro in 2016. Maybe the Corvette because of PDR has some "special" add-ins and they didn't want to mess with making up new icons just for Corvette so they left it with the old "skin" and updated the "under hood" stuff when the HMI 2.5 jump was made.

I'm glad I have a 2016 for sure. The 2.5 HMI is definitely slicker than the earlier stuff.

brentil

I've reviewed the code drops for the MY17 updates SW 16.3B020 and 16.2B018.3.2. As with all of the updates this is only the open source portions and does not include GM's proprietary parts that run on top of it.

• New - MY17 16.2B018.3.2
  • No changes in the Linux kernel or uboot code, this must have been an update related to the GM specific code that runs on top of Linux.

• New - MY17 16.3B020
  • This primarily apperas to be a Freescale/iMX hardware code bug fixes release for the code we have access to.
  • The MMC code has had some cleanup. The MMC code handles interfacing with things like SD or microSD cards for expanding storage. Like adding an SD card to your phone.
  • They've added some debug code to handle USB issues.
  • They've added some additional cross node security inside of the kernel.

brentil

I've reviewed the code drops for the new MY18 SW 17.1B012 and updated MY17 update SW 16.4B012. As with all of the updates this is only the open source portions and does not include GM's proprietary parts that run on top of it.

• New - MY18 17.1B012
  • This primarily appears to be a Freescale/iMX hardware code bug fixes release for the code we have access to.
  • There were however references to MY19 (BOARD_ID_MY19_B1_MX6DL & BOARD_ID_MY19_B1_MX6DL_2G) which is the first time since the MY2016 HMI 2.5 there's been a new MY reference in the Bosch code references as the MY16/MY17/MY18 devices all run on that same HMI 2.5 with no hardware changes. The code currently lists using the MY16 IDs for the MY19 reference but this might be an indicator of an upcoming hardware refresh.

• New - MY17 16.4B012
  • This primarily appears to be a Freescale/iMX hardware code bug fixes release for the code we have access to.

Germes

brentil

Can you tell me please where I can get the SW update files for HMI 2.0 (not maps)?
At this moment my system in Update mode, pictures in spoiler.

brentil

Honestly the only people I know who have access to the firmware files is dealerships. GM like most car makers still treat firmware updates as the dark voodoo process that user's should have no involvement in. To date Tesla is the only company that treats their users like their cars should be kept up to date and not left to rot technically as soon as it's purchased. There might be some source of them outside of the dealerships but I have yet to figure out where that is.

Germes

Hmm bad news, anyway, thank you for this info.

faster68

Would buying a 2017 HMI and plugging it in to a 2015 car work?

Flame Red

Unknown. I asked this question of a couple of the vendors that sell and program these modules with the VIN. They came back and said to order the '16 kits they sell - not the '17. The '18 parts will be coming out soon if not already. Same question.

brentil

As a MY14 owner myself I've looked into this too and it always seems to specifically be the MY16 radio they advertise. Unfortunately I don't know if GM made changes to the hardware or they might have made changes to the software too that block the backwards usage. It would be nice to have a candid conversation about how horrible the system was on these older units with GM and ask questions about them making an official upgrade path. I'm not going to buy a new Corvette just to replace the radio, but I would pay GM directly to upgrade my radio. However that's not how car companies work and it's frustrating.

LT1 Z51

2017 supposedly adds "Cyber Security" I don't know what that does to the MOST bus, but on CAN it would require totally new hardware for all modules on the CAN Bus due to the addition of CAN Authentication over CAN-FD.

Ford allows you to upgrade any version of SYNC but it was designed that way from the start. So all SYNC 2 owners have the latest SW (which was released in 2015) and all SYNC 3 users get all the new updates as they are released.

GM is just odd like that and doesn't allow upgrades.

brentil

That would explain why we can't use anything newer than a MY16 radio system in the MY14/15 to do upgrades. It sucks that stops us from doing the backwards upgrade but it's good to see they've finally added security to the bus. I've seen too many white papers on how easy it is to completely take over a car though any of the various bus items.