The GWM Cannon Alpha and Tank 500 received key fixes to throttle response and advanced driver assistance systems on the factory earlier this 12 months, and now existing owners are in a position to have these upgrades applied to their cars.
The changes were applied at production level early in 2025, with CarExpert getting the chance to check them late last 12 months.
GWM says they’re now available to existing owners though there’s no over-the-air update available, so owners might want to head to considered one of the Chinese brand’s dealerships to receive the update.
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GWM has also confirmed there are not any changes for the Cannon ute and Tank 300 off-roader – as they use different programming, the updates made to their larger platform-mates aren’t transferable.
“We proceed to work hard to make sure the voice of our local market is heard and thought of,” said GWM Australia and Latest Zealand marketing and communications boss Steve Maciver.
“These upgrades reflect recent feedback from our customers across Australia and Latest Zealand and show GWM’s global commitment to supporting our region and continually refining the product to raised suit local drivers.
“It’s not nearly constructing for the longer term – we’re also focused on delivering meaningful updates and enhancements to our existing owners, ensuring their experience continues to strengthen with our brand.”
GWM says it has improved throttle response and sensitivity in hybrid versions of the Cannon Alpha and Tank 500, while the next changes have been applied to not only these models but in addition the Cannon Alpha diesel:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Curve speed control refinements to enhance level of speed reduction when cornering
- Acceleration response increased when resuming set speed
- Driver monitoring system
- Voice warning modified to alert sound, volume decreased
- On/off switch memory function added, system now not defaults to on
- Emergency lane-keep assist
- Visual warning alert modified to ‘lane flashing’ warning in digital instrument cluster
- Quick key now accessible within the shortcut menu, accessed by swiping down on the touchscreen
GWM also says it has “optimised” false triggering alerts on certain road surfaces with the emergency lane-keep assist, and added a Trailer Hitch Track guideline on the touchscreen.
In Paul Maric’s testing of the old calibration and latest calibration back-to-back on the Cannon Alpha Hybrid late last 12 months, he found the throttle was more responsive, the transition between electric and hybrid mode smoother, and the ‘sticky throttle’ issue had been eliminated.
The distraction monitoring changes were also improved, though he noted more work may very well be done on the accuracy of the lane centring system.
GWM recently discontinued the Cannon Alpha Hybrid in Australia, leaving only the diesel and the recently launched plug-in hybrid (PHEV) on sale.
The Tank 500 stays hybrid-only in Australia, though a PHEV powertrain is due later this 12 months.
GWM quietly moved the Tank 500 Hybrid from a Chinese to a Thai market suspension tune late last 12 months to enhance its dynamics.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t have a locally developed suspension tune like in newer models akin to the Cannon Alpha PHEV.
GWM is working to not only improve the performance of its advanced driver assistance systems in Australia but in addition how the vehicles drive. To that end, in April it appointed vehicle ride and handling expert Rob Trubiani who was Holden’s lead vehicle dynamics engineer for nearly 15 years.
Nowadays, an automaker having a dedicated, everlasting local engineering and tuning program based in Australia is much from common, and puts GWM in the identical company as Kia.
The fast-growing Chinese brand has been securing further talent from more established brands of late, with John Kett joining GWM as its chief operating officer earlier this 12 months after holding the identical role at Hyundai Australia for greater than five years.
To the top of June, GWM can be Australia’s seventh best-selling brand.
It delivered 25,189 vehicles in the primary half of this 12 months, up 17 per cent and a brand new record for the brand, placing it behind only Toyota (120,978), Mazda (48,942), Ford (47,300), Kia (40,750), Hyundai (38,948) and Mitsubishi (33,379) in year-to-date standings.
This Article First Appeared At www.carexpert.com.au
