# NEMESIS open-source exploit frees Hyundai Gen5W infotainment from vendor lock-in

> **Key takeaway:** The NEMESIS project exploits a flaw in Hyundai and Kia's OTA update mechanism to unlock wireless Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and HUD navigation on Gen5W head units from 2015-2019.

**Published:** 2026-11-03T06:00:35+00:00 
**Source:** Hackaday Hardware 
**Category:** open-hardware 
**Canonical URL:** https://fosswire.org/news/nemesis-open-source-exploit-frees-hyundai-gen5w-infotainment.html 

## Summary
A group of developers has released NEMESIS, an open-source exploit targeting Hyundai's Gen5W infotainment systems found in many Hyundai and Kia vehicles manufactured between 2015 and 2019. The hack leverages a vulnerability in the over-the-air update mechanism to grant users full control over head units that manufacturers deliberately restricted. Key capabilities enabled include wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus the ability to relay turn-by-turn navigation instructions to the driver instrument cluster and heads-up display—features normally reserved for the inferior built-in OEM navigation system.

The exploit requires specific conditions: the head unit software version must contain 'S5W_M' (verifiable under General Settings > SW Info), and the unit must support OTA updates to possess the exploitable logic. Several models are explicitly excluded, including the Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and all Canadian vehicles running Gen5W. This continues a broader pattern of automotive infotainment jailbreaking that has previously targeted older Hyundai systems and Tesla vehicles.

## Exploit mechanism and hardware scope
- **Target system:** Hyundai Gen5W infotainment platform used in Hyundai and Kia vehicles from 2015-2019, with specific software builds containing 'S5W_M' in the version string.
- **Attack vector:** Flaw in the over-the-air (OTA) update system logic; units without OTA capability lack the exploitable code path entirely.
- **Exclusions:** Hyundai Elantra, Kia Forte, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and all Canadian Gen5W-equipped vehicles are not supported by this exploit.
- **Verification method:** Users must check General Settings > SW Info to confirm 'S5W_M' presence; 'S5W_L' builds are incompatible.

## Why it matters
NEMESIS represents a significant win for automotive right-to-repair advocates and open-source hardware enthusiasts by demonstrating that consumer-accessible exploits can restore functionality that manufacturers artificially withhold. For the Linux and open-source community, projects like this establish precedents for auditing proprietary automotive systems and may accelerate development of fully open infotainment replacements as regulatory pressure mounts against software-locked vehicle features.