Toggle Switch for Reversing Proximity Alert

[wattmatters]

I found out about this app recently and after some hesitation I installed it (v2.6.5). Hesitation as I have not done such a thing with a car's infotainment system before. App reports Firmware version SWI165.

I have a 2023 MG4 Essence 64 (Australia) which has had some firmware updates to correct an overly aggressive lane keeping assist and emergency braking system.

One profile I was keen on being able to set up was for when I am using my rear bicycle carrier on the tow hitch.

One of the annoying things the car does when the rear rack is mounted is sound the reversing proximity alert whenever the car is in reverse gear. It generates a very loud constant tone the whole time as it thinks I am about to hit something when really it's just detecting the bike rack. It's pretty offensive and distracting when all I am tying to do is reverse up to a fast charger or do a reverse park.

To disable the offending proximity warning I use the car's "Tow Mode", which switches that alert off. Unfortunately Tow Mode also disables ACC. For local driving that's no big deal but for highway trips (which is generally when I will have the bike rack mounted) I really want ACC to remain active.

I wasn't able to find a combination of settings in the app which switched off the rear proximity alert.

Is there a way to do that I am missing, or can it be done or perhaps added as an option?
Essentially a Tow mode which does not disable ACC.

Thanks

[SliDeeN]

Hello @wattmatters and thanks for your message.
Unfortunately, MG4Control only applies existing features via reflection.

If there isn't an option to enable "towing" mode without disabling ACC, MG4Control won't be able to do it.

Have you already tried enabling tow mode and then applying an MG4Control profile that activates ACC?
It will probably disable tow mode, but I’m curious.

[wattmatters]

Thanks. I have not tried that but I'll give it a go and will report back.

[wattmatters]

OK, an update.

1. After enabling Tow Mode, it is possible to then set ACC to ON using MG4Control.
   So that in itself is pretty interesting. It does work. Tow mode ON, reverse proximity alert does not sound and I can use ACC.

2. Tow Mode is a natively sticky setting in my MG4. Once enabled it remains enabled after locking the car and returning.

3. When I get in the car after it boots up I get the centre screen warning about tow mode being active and various safety features being disabled. ACC appears to be disabled, although looking at MG4Control, it shows ACC as being active (ACC ON is in my default profile). If I toggle ACC off then on again with MG4Control, it applies the setting and ACC is then available to use.

This was the case in three of four occasions I got in the car after getting out and locking it.

On one occasion (a 5 minute post office stop) after getting in the car the Tow Mode warning did not appear, the reverse proximity warning was silent, ACC was ON and immediately available. It was as if the car had not "reset" despite having locked it, got out and then returned.

The briefness of that post office stop does not seem to be a factor as one of the other occasions was in my garage. I got out, locked, unlocked, got back in and got the usual Tow Mode warning and found I needed to use MG4Control to enable ACC. Again MG4Control shows ACC as being active when it isn't. Toggling the ACC button OFF/ON then enables it, while Tow mode remains active and the reverse proximity alert does not sound.

I hope that helps. Happy to test it further if you need more details.

An unrelated challenge I have with MG4Control is the text on my screen is tiny and hard to read.

Is there are way to increase the size of the font/buttons?

Thanks!