ALIENTECH STRIKES BACK – THE NEW KESS3 UNLOCK MODULE HAS ARRIVED

Alientech KESS3 Unlock Module: Unlock Protected Bosch MD1 & MG1 ECUs Directly in Your Own Workshop

The ECU unlocking race has just moved forward again.

Only days after the tuning industry started talking seriously about the latest generation of ECU unlocking hardware, Alientech has answered with a major new development of its own.

Meet the new Alientech KESS3 Unlock Module.

For professional tuners already using KESS3, this could be one of the most important accessories Alientech has released in some time.

Why?

Because it gives suitably equipped KESS3 users the ability to unlock a growing range of protected Bosch MD1 and MG1 ECUs directly in their own workshop.

No sending the ECU away to a third-party unlocking service. No waiting days for it to return. No losing control of the job.

Unlock it. Access it. Read it. Write it. Back it up.

And importantly, once the supported ECU has undergone the initial BOOT unlock procedure, Alientech’s new protocols allow subsequent programming directly through the ECU connector in BENCH mode without having to open the ECU again.

For a professional tuning business, that is a very significant change.

What is the Alientech KESS3 Unlock Module?

The KESS3 Unlock Module is a dedicated hardware accessory developed by Alientech specifically for unlocking supported protected Bosch MD1 and MG1 ECUs.

It works alongside the Alientech KESS3 tuning tool and gives the technician the hardware required to carry out Alientech’s supported BOOT Unlock procedure.

This is important to understand:

The Unlock Module is not a replacement for KESS3 and it is not a standalone tuning tool.

KESS3 remains the ECU programming platform.

The Unlock Module adds the specialist hardware needed to gain initial access to these protected ECUs.

For the supported protocols, users require KESS3 with CAR BENCH/BOOT activation together with an active subscription.

Once connected correctly, the KESS3 system manages the unlock process and gives access to the ECU memories for reading, writing and full backup operations.

Why is this such a big development?

Modern Bosch MD1 and MG1 ECUs have created one of the biggest challenges the tuning industry has faced in recent years.

Vehicle manufacturers have steadily increased ECU security, and on many later vehicles the days of simply plugging into the OBD port and reading an ECU are long gone.

For many workshops, that has meant one of three things:

• Turn the customer away.
• Send the ECU somewhere else to be unlocked.
• Or invest in increasingly specialist equipment and knowledge to perform the work in-house.

The Alientech Unlock Module moves more of that work back into the professional tuning workshop.

And that matters.

Every ECU you send away costs time.

Every day the vehicle is waiting costs your customer time.

Every job you hand to somebody else means giving away part of your margin and part of your control over the process.

Being able to manage the unlocking and programming procedure yourself changes that.

How does the Alientech KESS3 Unlock Module work?

The initial operation is performed in BOOT mode.

The ECU is accessed using the dedicated KESS3 Unlock Module and the appropriate connections, after which KESS3 performs the supported unlock procedure and applies the necessary patch.

Once the ECU has been successfully unlocked, KESS3 can access its memories and perform supported read, write and full backup operations.

But Alientech has gone a step further.

Alongside the Unlock Module, it has released new BENCH protocols for the same family of protected MD1 and MG1 ECUs.

That means that following the first successful unlock, supported ECUs can subsequently be connected directly through the ECU connector and programmed in BENCH mode.

You don’t have to repeat the complete opening and BOOT procedure every time the vehicle comes back.

Initial unlock in BOOT.

Then future supported programming in BENCH.

That makes the whole process considerably more practical for a working tuning business.

Which Bosch ECUs does the KESS3 Unlock Module support?

At launch, Alientech has announced support for the following protected Bosch ECUs:

• Bosch MD1CS003
• Bosch MD1CS069
• Bosch MD1CP007
• Bosch MD1CS012
• Bosch MG1CS042
• Bosch MD1CS004 HW80
• Bosch MG1CS031
• Bosch MD1CP006
• Bosch MD1CS005
• Bosch MG1CS002

The coverage is primarily focused on vehicles produced from 2021 onwards and includes both petrol and diesel applications.

And this isn’t an obscure collection of vehicles.

These ECU families appear across some extremely important modern tuning applications.

What vehicles are covered?

The initial Alientech release covers applications across Audi, Bentley, Citroën, Cupra, DS, Fiat, Ford, Genesis, Hyundai, Kia, Land Rover, Opel, Peugeot, Porsche, Seat, Skoda, Toyota, Vauxhall, Volkswagen and others.

Some of the vehicle ranges involved include:

• Audi A1, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 and numerous Q, S and RS models.
• Bentley Bentayga and Flying Spur.
• Cupra Formentor and Leon.
• Ford Focus, Kuga, Puma and F-Series Super Duty applications.
• Genesis G70, G80, GV70 and GV80.
• Kia Stinger, Sorento and Tasman.
• Land Rover Defender, Discovery, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Velar.
• Porsche Cayenne, Macan and Panamera applications.
• Volkswagen Golf, Passat, Polo, Tiguan, Touareg and T-Roc.

And that’s only part of the initial vehicle list.

For a workshop working on modern European performance vehicles, SUVs, commercial vehicles or later diesel applications, there is some very commercially relevant coverage here.

The important bit: keep the whole job in-house

For us, this is where the real value lies.

The tuning tool market isn’t simply about which tool has the longest vehicle list.

It is about what jobs you can actually complete profitably in your own workshop.

If a £500, £700 or £1,000 tuning job arrives and you have to package the ECU, insure it, send it away, wait for somebody else to unlock it and then wait for it to come back before you can even start tuning, the workflow quickly becomes inefficient.

There is also another issue.

Your customer doesn’t really care why their ECU is difficult to access.

They simply want their vehicle back.

The more of the process you can perform yourself, the more control you have over turnaround time, quality, scheduling and ultimately profitability.

That is why equipment like the KESS3 Unlock Module matters.

BOOT first – BENCH afterwards

This is probably the feature professional KESS3 users should pay particular attention to.

The Unlock Module performs the initial supported unlock procedure in BOOT.

Once that operation has been completed, Alientech’s accompanying BENCH protocols allow supported ECUs to be read and written directly through the connector.

That means if the same customer returns later for a revised calibration, hardware upgrade, further development or simply needs the original file reinstated, the workflow can be significantly easier.

It turns what could otherwise be a specialist one-off procedure into something far more manageable within the normal workshop environment.

What comes with the KESS3 Unlock Module?

The complete kit includes the dedicated Alientech hardware required for the supported unlocking procedure, including:

• Alientech hardware module 14AS00T11S
• 26-way ribbon cable
• 14AS00T12S adapter board
• Connection jumpers
• ECU/VFL3 connection cables
• Ferrites
• Workshop connection accessories

It is a purpose-built Alientech solution designed to work within the KESS3 ecosystem rather than a third-party workaround.

What else do I need?

You will need:

A KESS3.

The appropriate KESS3 CAR BENCH/BOOT activation.

An active Alientech subscription covering the supported protocols.

And the KESS3 Unlock Module itself.

If you already own KESS3 but you’re unsure which activations are on your tool, speak to VIEZU before ordering.

We can check your current configuration and explain exactly what is required.

Is this Alientech’s answer to the latest ECU unlocking developments?

It certainly shows just how quickly this area of tuning technology is moving.

The ability to access modern locked Bosch MD1 and MG1 ECUs has become one of the hottest areas of development in the professional tuning tool market.

Different manufacturers are approaching the technical challenge in different ways, but the objective is very similar:

Give professional tuners greater control over protected ECUs and allow more of the complete tuning process to remain inside their own workshop.

That competition is extremely good news for tuners.

More development.

More coverage.

Better workflows.

And ultimately more vehicles that can be tuned.

The tool manufacturers are moving quickly — and right now Alientech is making it very clear that KESS3 intends to remain right at the front of that race.

Who should buy the KESS3 Unlock Module?

If you already use KESS3 professionally and regularly work on modern vehicles, this is an accessory worth taking very seriously.

Particularly if your business works heavily with:

• VAG vehicles
• Land Rover and Range Rover
• Porsche
• Ford
• Stellantis applications
• Hyundai, Kia and Genesis
• Modern diesel vehicles
• Commercial vehicles
• Performance SUVs

Even a relatively small number of additional jobs completed in-house can quickly justify investing in additional workshop capability.

And as always, the supported vehicle list will continue to evolve as new protocols are developed.

You can order the new Alientech KESS3 Unlock Module from VIEZU here.

Why buy your Alientech KESS3 Unlock Module from VIEZU?

Buying specialist tuning hardware should never just be about receiving a box in the post.

VIEZU can help you understand what the product does, what your existing KESS3 configuration already supports, what additional activations may be required and whether the vehicles you intend to tune are currently covered.

We can also provide KESS3 training, ECU tuning training, setup assistance and ongoing technical support.

If you’re investing in equipment to unlock increasingly sophisticated modern ECUs, knowing how to use that equipment correctly is every bit as important as owning it.

VIEZU stock of the new Alientech KESS3 Unlock Module is currently due from 17 September.

Alientech KESS3 Unlock Module FAQ

THE NEXT GENERATION OF ECU UNLOCKING IS HERE

The ECU tuning industry is changing extremely quickly.

Modern ECU security is becoming more sophisticated — but so are the tools professional tuners have available to deal with it.

The new Alientech KESS3 Unlock Module puts another important piece of that technology directly into the workshop.

Unlock protected Bosch MD1 and MG1 ECUs.

Access the ECU memories.

Read and write.

Create a complete backup.

Then, on supported protocols, move to a much easier BENCH workflow for subsequent programming.

For existing KESS3 users, this is a relatively simple addition that could significantly expand the range of modern vehicles you can deal with in-house.

And perhaps most importantly, it means fewer ECUs leaving your workshop and more of the complete job staying with you.

The Alientech KESS3 Unlock Module is available to order from VIEZU now, with stock currently due from 17 September.

ORDER THE ALIENTECH KESS3 UNLOCK MODULE FROM VIEZU

Need help checking your KESS3 activation or ECU compatibility? Speak to the VIEZU team before ordering.

Call +44 (0)1789 774444

Email info@viezu.com

Because increasingly, the difference between turning a modern tuning job away and saying “yes, we can do that” is having the right hardware sitting on your bench.