[ROY-K5-EX]

Are any of you that opted for the 10.25" touch screen that comes with the Premium Package on the EX trim upset that Kia decided to remove the Wireless Android Auto even though it's standard on the 8" touch screen? It doesn't make sense that the more expensive EX with the more expensive 10.25" screen would not have a feature available on the less expensive 8" version. I have emailed Kia and I am waiting for their input.

I am aware that the "AAWireless" adapter/dongle, that brings wireless to any Android Auto unit, will be available via the Indiegogo campaign but the first units won't be out until December and those are sold out. The next batch will be available in March but we shouldn't have to use a third party to get the wireless feature. We need to put a little pressure on Kia to provide an update or other means to get Wireless Android Auto.

What are your thoughts?

 

[meubin10]

I have the 8" screen, although I don't care about the wireless capability so the 10.25" wouldn't matter to me. But I still think it's crazy they didn't include the wireless functionally in the 10.25". Weird.

 

[Luv2SkiCO]

This impresses me as the sort of thing that can be fixed with software. Isn't the Apple Car Play wireless broken as well on the 10.25" unit?

 

[ROY-K5-EX]

Neither is "broken"; Wireless AA & Apple Car Play are just not available for the 10.25" screen even though they are available on the less expensive 8" screen. That is why I ask that all owners of the 10.25" screen to complain to Kia to get them to issue a software update or other means to make wireless AA and ACP available.

 

[mike]

I have a new Sorento MQ4 equipped with a Prestige package with a 10.25" screen. It's completely irracional to exclude wireless Android Auto from the more expensive and more advanced system. I hope it's only a matter of a new software but if 10.25" system lacks proper Wi-Fi module, then software update won't help.

 

[ROY-K5-EX]

I emailed Kia and this was their lame response:

We have received your recent online contact and we appreciate the opportunity to assist. Unfortunately, we do not have any information regarding product design details or information regarding design decisions. As the vehicle manufacturer, we value customer feedback and consider this information paramount to our brand. We will ensure your input is provided to the appropriate levels within KMA. Please let us know if you have any additional questions.

Thank you for contacting Kia.

Sincerely,
Haley S.
Kia Motors America

I replied to that email with a more forceful request and notified them that I was requesting more complaints from a "Kia Forum". I have been able to get into the "Engineering" menu of my 10.25" screen and saw that it has a wi-fi module. We need to keep the pressure on Kia to get them to update the firmware for wireless AA.

I get the impression that not many Kia owners out there have opted for the 10.25" screen since very few have posted a response to this discussion. Come on people, let's mobilize and show Kia that their customers expect more them than just a lame response.

 

[mike]

I can enter engineering mode too but where should I look for to find if it has wifi module?

 

[Luv2SkiCO]

The wireless Apple CarPlay feature initiates contact over Bluetooth and then uses that BT connection to establish a high bandwidth connection over WiFi to support bandwidth-intensive chores like dynamic map display, etc. Wired CarPlay requires Apple MFI certification of the vendor's platform (and royalties paid to Apple, of course). Most of the MFI program info is covered by NDAs so details are sketchy. It would appear that both the 8" display and 10.25" infotainment display units have been certified by Apple for wired CarPlay and only the 8" unit for wireless CarPlay.

If both platforms are made by the same OEM and if the underlying embedded OS is the same, one could expect that a software port of the 8" wireless CarPlay software would be straightforward. Maybe they ran out of memory on the 10.25" unit (with all of its bells and whistles) or they have issues getting it MFI certified. Hard to say, but Kia needs to up their game here!

 

[mike]

So, possibly, Wireless Android Auto is disabled because Wireless Apple CarPlay is an extra cost for an unit that already has a navigation with 7-years of free updates? Or maybe it's just a matter of a simple strategy: 8" unit doesn't have navigation so it supports Wireless AA/AC and 10.25" unit has navigation so it doesn't need Wireless AA/AC technology.

Either way, I would love to hear the real reason behind such decision.

 

[mike]

And by the way, the 10.25" head unit in my Sorento MQ4 has 128GB eMMC storage, so running out of memory is not a problem here.

 

[mike]

According to the engineering menu, the 10.25" head unit is equipped with BCM89359 5G WiFi/Bluetooth Smart 2X2 MIMO Combo Chip with RSDB Support. Its key features are:

• Optimized for seamless interaction with enhanced wireless applications and feature-rich systems like Apple CarPlay and Google Auto Link, the BCM89359 device is the first WLAN combo architected specifically for multi-band concurrent automotive infotainment and telematics operation.
• RSDB support enables simultaneous connectivity to the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands, improving throughput and latency when using multiple applications.
• Integrated 5G WiFi technology provides the bandwidth required for multiple high resolution in-car displays, allowing uncongested 5GHz video to coexist concurrently with Wi-Fi Internet access and 2.4GHz Bluetooth hands-free audio.
• 2x2 MIMO technology delivers twice the Wi-Fi performance of any other solution on the market today, providing the highest throughput in-car network possible for multiple user experiences.
• A dedicated Bluetooth antenna enables concurrent operation of Bluetooth and WLAN applications and employs advanced coexistence algorithms to maximize voice quality and data access speed in simultaneous operation.