Hackaday · Creativity & design

Mini Infotainment Upgrade Saga

A BMW Mini F56 owner's attempt to upgrade its infotainment system led to a series of challenges with an aftermarket unit.

The owner found the car's iDrive system to have a small screen and awkward user experience, prompting a desire for a more modern replacement. Compatibility with the car's systems was a key concern.

A €700 aftermarket system was purchased from a Chinese vendor. Initial installation revealed a wiring issue causing a short, which was repaired. However, the display detached during a test drive and broke.

A replacement screen arrived unprogrammed. The owner attempted to extract firmware from the broken display to program the new one.

Before completing the firmware transfer, a brand-new replacement unit was offered and accepted in exchange for the faulty original.

The experience was marred by significant waiting times and poor after-sale support, highlighting the potential complexities of modern car modifications.

The article suggests that as modern cars are essentially computers on wheels, car modification will likely involve more complex electronic work in the future.

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