2024 Kia EV6, stock head unit.

Edit with some quick notes because I didn’t realize this blew up:

This is NOT yet usable as a replacement to stock. Working:

  • Boots! (32 bit only because stock is 32bit, so no AAOS)
  • Display
  • Touch
  • WiFi
  • Maybe BT
  • Maybe Modem (not gonna test that)
  • GPS (uses translation daemon)
  • Climate/controls/sensors/some energy stats - as much as MICOM provides anyway (uses translation daemon)
  • GPU
  • VPU (really need to test more)

Not working yet:

  • Audio/amp control
  • Power sequencing like when to turn off display, wake/sleep etc
  • Any kind of head unit experience (this will come later, I’ll try AGL first, and if I can get 64 bit then I’ll try AAOS)

Use NEMESIS to get root on Android: https://github.com/xwtk/hmg_nemesis

Blog post that has a small section on this: https://w-floyd.com/2026/10/notes-on-llms-part-01/#2024-kia-ev6-head-unit I’ll post more there as I find the time. I am using LLMs for a lot of the heavy lifting as I try things out (never to write my blog). I link to my GitHub repos there, where this work is being actively pushed.

I only bought this car a week ago.

Don’t be an idiot and actually reflash your unit if you try this - I am using kexec to boot from an image from the USB, so this is completely nondestructive (NEMESIS is what actually is installed to the system).

Some more photos!

  • kungen@feddit.nu
    9·
    1 hour ago

    Not working yet: * Audio

    Yeah, you already said it was running Linux. (I love Linux, just funny how audio always seems to be so difficult to get working properly)

    Very cool, I like it!

    • ThePyroPython@lemmy.world
      2·
      1 hour ago

      I’m going to take a wild swing here and say that’s probably because there’s still a load more audio controller ICs out there than for other interfaces and/or the other interfaces are more standardised on the firmware drivers. Therefore not all drivers cover all audio ICs so it’s a bit of a faff to find the right one.

  • Player2@sopuli.xyzEnglish
    3·
    1 hour ago

    This is amazing. If you keep working on this I would follow it with great interest!

    • expletivedeleted@lemmy.zip
      457·
      3 hours ago

      A legend in what sense? Doom is so optimized (beatifully, in fact) one could port it anywhere.

      Seriously, anywhere.

      Now, a legend would be someone dresses up as a maintenance tech for self checkout kiosks and installs Doom to kick on when it normally asks for coupons. Oh my god, not advocating in any way, but that would be punk as fuck.

      And on that note, I am going to backpedal into the bushes, but peep out: "Doom is very optimized and built on C. You can port that shit to ship ports. You can run Doom on glasses. You can run Doom on a taco, given the system requirements.

      Getting it to run on a car? Meh. I got it running on a TI-85 a quarter of a century ago.

      So meh.

        • expletivedeleted@lemmy.zip
          11·
          32 minutes ago

          Yeah… to an extent.

          Man, don’t get me wrong: for an early project this is cool. I am not trying to rain on someone’s parade.

          It’s cool! Super cool! I am glad they had fun.

          But dude, I am a systems engineer. You wouldn’t believe the shit I have recompiled kernels for.

          That’s the thing. Super happy for them. Awesome! And I am sure they learned some shit along the way, and that is so great!

          I deeply encourage people to learn, experiment and create.

          But I am getting a lot of backlash, but lets make this clearer:

          I have been working professionally in systems, networking, and programming hands on for 30 years. Cool, and neat, and an interesting thing to try when we have a weekend and a 12 pack.

          Curious where they hit the brick walls. No details there. Just pics and some base notes.

          Props to OP, and I apologize for I guess being a dick for half-shrugging… while I worked today as a systems engineering manager.

          So many responses: do you all go to work or sleep or have social activities? Just read? Man, but I am a troll; not you, just what others have said.

          You know, I took an old iphone and made it a webserver. Why? I was high, to be honest.

          Why? Because the dude on my couch challenged me. It even ran wordpress (though the db was running off my server). Why? Man, we were fucking stoned.

          And it was annoying because he wasn’t helping, just there. Like when playing basketball and someone is trying to block your shot and all you wanted to do was play Horse.

        • expletivedeleted@lemmy.zip
          25·
          2 hours ago

          Because I read the code? It is wonderful code.

          I don’t know about this leet shit, but I have been in the field for 25 years and I do stupid ass mods for fun.

          Like, I built an MP3 player from hardware scratch, like I actually started with a custom PCB. My coworker’s kid wasn’t allowed to have his phone in class, the father had a 3D printer, so I threw some shit together.

          What fucking sub is this in? You can run Doom on toasters because it is just C, which is like a simple step away from assembly.

          This is so fucking stupid. Sorry, I just happen to be a systems and network engineer who also does low level programming. My fucking bad. Great conversation.

            • expletivedeleted@lemmy.zip
              11·
              24 minutes ago

              Not really? So OP compiled the Linux kernel to the chip architecture, which was the real feat, and that is admirable, and then played Doom. Cool!

              Cool, man. I am getting heat because I am asking what they would do with it, as running a custom OS on your damn death machine is alone dangerous, but let’s test it out by playing the most opened source and well optimized code on the fucking planet… that is the predessor to the real grandpa of FPS… on your fucking car screen… hold up: what is the make, model, year, bluetooth adapter hardware ID or at least which chipset, the wifi chipset, the video chipset, how were each of these compiled to… hold up, what is the CPU used in this year, make, and model of car?

              One of these days, people are going to figure out why I said what I said. Not holding my breath.

              Edit: to be VERY clear, the structure of the comment was to literally mock you.

              Just didn’t want you to assume that I don’t know how to write. And I am not upset. Just being sardonic.

      • shishka_b0b@lemmy.zip
        3·
        2 hours ago

        You seem like the type of person that doesn’t just love the smell of their own farts, but thinks everyone else does too.

        spoiler

        They don’t.

  • August27th@lemmy.ca
    1·
    1 hour ago

    This is awesome! I desperately want to replace the stock firmware, an open source alternative would be fantastic. Have you poked around the stock firmware to see how the telemetry is delivered via the modem, out of curiosity? For me that’s the number one thing to stop while building out an open alternative in the meantime.

  • nickspacek@piefed.caEnglish
    15·
    6 hours ago

    I’m afraid to brick my head unit, leaving my family quite put out lol. I was thinking that it would be nice to add an app though that I could use for remote-climate control on my 2023 now that my Kia subscription has lapsed.

      • pageflight@piefed.socialEnglish
        131·
        6 hours ago

        I would be delighted for my Volvo to stop popping up a full-screen “try Gemini” page while I’m driving.

        But yes, I would rather not brick the infotainment.

        • doctorflynt@feddit.org
          7·
          5 hours ago

          oh my god. yes, i hate this awful ad too. but i cant try something like this because its a leased car :(