BYD OTA Watch #01 – A Patchy Road to Stable Updates

Last updated: 2025-05-21

The Confusion Begins

While I was waiting for my BYD Sealion 7 to be delivered (after a few weeks of delay), I took the time to dive into the latest discussions on the BYD Sealion 7 forum (LINK). One thing quickly became obvious: the community is confused by different update versions and a near-total lack of changelogs.

Here’s a quick timeline of the current OTA update situation:

• v1.1.0
  → Software version 51.1.4.2410210.1 – the original version installed on Sealion 7 models delivered in Austria and Germany.

• v1.2.1
  → Released in March 2025 with unclear fixes. Some owners report seeing v1.2.1 as the OTA version, but the actual software version number hasn’t changed from v1.1.0.

• v1.2.0 (old)
  → Reported by some owners in mid-April 2025 instead of 1.2.1. The only consistent indicator seems to be the inclusion of the YouTube app, which appears only with this version.

• May 01, 2025
  → A new OTA with the label 1.2.0 should be pushed out – causing even more confusion. Yes, you read that right: 1.2.0 again. Read more below from the press statement.

• May 19, 2025
  → I received an OTA update with the label 1.2.1 – lot of confusion but it is working. The version number is now 51.1.4.2503110.1 – so was this now the Update we were waiting for or even a newer version?

Known Issues with These Updates

• Broken German language support
  The BYD Assistant no longer responds in German for some users after installing v1.2.1 or even v1.2.0. Despite possible improvements elsewhere, many owners recommend skipping this update if you haven’t installed it yet.

• ACC cannot be disabled via steering wheel
  In some cars updated to the early v1.2.0 version, the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) button on the steering wheel no longer works as expected.

What’s Going On?

Yes – there may be region-specific update versions. But the fact remains: there is no public changelog and no official documentation about which versions are actually live – or what they do.

But then something interesting surfaced:
On BYD Austria’s website, an official notice was published. The key quote:

“BYD owners, take note: in the coming weeks, OTA updates will roll out for the following models: ATTO 3, DOLPHIN, SEAL, SEAL U, SEAL U DM-i, ATTO 2, HAN, and SEALION 7.”

And at the very bottom of that post – a hidden gem:

Sealion 7 OTA v1.2.0 – Upgrade Path:

• Some vehicles that previously received Multimedia 241224 (v1.2.1 or older v1.2.0) are now being updated to address urgent issues.
• The new v1.2.0 may share the same multimedia version or OTA label as earlier releases.
• However, the new version includes more software updates, even if the version number doesn’t reflect this.
• Target Multimedia Version: 51.1.4.2412240.1
• Compatible Versions: 51.1.4.2410210.1, 51.1.4.2411280.1

My guess? BYD may be dealing with a rollout or versioning issue internally. From a user’s perspective, though, it looks sloppy and raises questions about transparency.

Regardless of this press release, I received the 1.2.1 update on May 20. It upgrades my vehicle to the version number: 51.1.4.2503110.1 You can find a changelog for this version in the article:

⏱️Update Log

• 2025-05-19 – Article published, update v1.2.0 confirmed on multiple Sealion 7 vehicles
• 2025-05-20 – Update v1.2.1 installed on my Car with Version Number: 51.1.4.2503110.1