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!
I’m daily driving Linux
You’re daily driving Linux
We’re not the sane
Absolute fucking legend here.
What would be really cool is if Doom responded to the steering.
Tesla has a racing game that does exactly that, but most of the vehicles still have mechanical steering linkage, so the actual wheels turn along with the game. It’s not as bad for the tires as you’d think, but it’s still ridiculous.
“You wouldn’t download a car!”
Yes I would.
Anyway, I’m glad to finally see something like this. Finally, the start of open source software in vehicles.
Open-source software has been used in cars for ages. Daniel Stenberg, the author of curl, has been receiving emails from people complaining about their cars, because his address was listed in the licensing section of the infotainment system’s ‘about’ screen.
I’ve been waiting for this. Did you use that dude’s project that was posted about last year? Wondering if it will work on the Ioniq 5
Lol - it runs Doom! I love it
Currently not using Linux because I’m a dumbass, but this… this is insanely cool and makes me wanna try Linux out again.
If cars infotainment was open source I would be so much more down. Obviously safety systems need to be more locked down so shitty people don’t disable them and resell the car, but infotainment? Hell yeah.
heeeell yeah
I just bought a 2024 ID.4. Once the warrenty is up, I’m hoping there will be more like this. It’s exciting.
Glorious Gnome as all things should be.
This might be a good application for KDEs Big-screen do you lose access to carplay when you do this?
I need more information!
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.
Is this replacing the head unit software? In my Mazda all of the car’s settings are accessed through that screen rather than the one for the speedometer. I would be afraid this would brick my car, or at least make it so I couldn’t change any of the settings like when it wants to automatically turn on the brights.
Can you write up (or link to) any resources for doing this?
Edit: thanks for more details on the post!
