Here's The Good & Bad of Android Automotive (Volvo XC60 Recharge)

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#Android #Google #Volvo

[@TechKingGame]

If you hold down the Assistant button, it uses Siri when using CarPlay. If you press it once, it will use the Google assistant.

[@evflyguy]

I've been driving cars with voice command capabilities for 12 years now and my Polestar 2 with Android/Google is the first one I've actually used regularly. It works 10 times better than any other car I've owned. Love it.

[@BHBeckenbauer]

My Volvo has this infotainment system and I’m so impressed by it. Yes it’s ‘missing’ some features compared to the old Volvo system, but it’s slick, easy to use and actually works! It has improved noticeably with every software update too

[@surveyparty]

I've had Android Automotive in my XC40 P8 for almost 2 years. It's fantastic, and one of the big reasons we bought it over the Mach-E. The support for users with Android phones happens not through screen mirroring like Android Auto, but through bluetooth connectivity. You do get your Google Messages in your infotainment system, and it will read them to you through the audio system if you choose. The assistant is really good at doing things to eliminate the need for touching the screen while driving like adjusting fan speed and temperature. Turning on or off the drivers or passengers heated seats, although strangely it won't work on heated rear seats. Built-In Google Maps is pretty good at trip planning, adding multiple stops to charge on a cross country trip, showing how much battery you will have when you get there and telling you how long you will need to charge to get to the next charger and updating the numbers as you drive. I understand peoples reticence for data collection. This was not an issue for me since I decided a while back that of all the companies that collect information, I would accept allowing Google to collect my data because it makes their services work so well and at least they are one of the few who do not sell your data to other companies. Plus car location is shown on the phone app, which is nice for piece of mind. The linking to the keyfob part isn't entirely true either. You can actually switch between accounts no matter what keyfob you have with you, and you should get three keys on purchase. For day-to-day driving, I much prefer Android Automotive, because my phone stays in my pocket.

[@iMaxPatten]

Don't blame you for choosing Android over Ford Sync! So glad they're ditching that system in their future cars. Awesome to hear that the software experience has gotten better over time too in the Volvo products. Seems like the OTA updates are the real deal.

[@SS-yw7vo]

Agree

[@garyclark6747]

So my three year old T150 running Sync lets Apple CarPlay be pulled up by the steering wheel button to dictate directions destinations through maps or through Waze through whatever I care to tell it to do. It’ll read messages and take phone calls to. I have a seat heater button so nobody has to be quiet while I’m dictating. I didn’t think this was cutting edge. 🫤

[@surveyparty]

@@garyclark6747 It's not cutting edge. We aren't having a conversation about the bleeding edge of technology. We are having a conversation about built in infotainment versus screen mirroring. Car play is screen mirroring which the subject car can also do. However the subject car does not have Android Auto (screen mirroring) it has Android Automotive (built-in). We all realize that screen mirroring has been around for awhile. Some people like myself, prefer to ditch screen mirroring for built-in automotive software. Others are noting that Android's screen mirroring software is a more mature ecosystem. They aren't wrong. Yes, there is also a button to turn on the seat heaters. I hope you didn't think that automakers were getting rid of that. They aren't.

[@garyclark6747]

@@surveyparty all right well then go back to what I commented about and correct what is not the Google system in the car doing something that anybody else can’t do with screen mirroring whether it’s android auto or Apple CarPlay. That was my point…there was listed a bunch of stuff that the rest of us can do that has nothing to do with an operating system a vehicle uses to operate windshield wipers, or heated seats or lane departure or safety systems.

[@cbatiau2528]

Since you briefly get into the instrument panel (10:00-11:00), I'll tell you why I give the Volvo instrument panel (shown here in this video) a grade of "D"; it's because it is lacking the following: (1) no full-time odometer; (2) no tire-pressure reading for each tire in psi (this is also lacking from the center infotainment screen); (3) no full-time tachometer (it's not on for hybrid mode, when the engine is often on); (4) no full-time regen-level display (it's not present when in Power or AWD modes); (5) no 12-volt-battery charge display (these Volvos have suffered greatly from dead 12-volt batteries); (6) no engine-temp display; (7) no date or time display (there's no date display on the center infotainment screen, either, and the digital time is very tiny there); (8) no option for north-up in the map display or for 2-D map display (instead of the faux-3D display); (9) no displays for showing how many miles since your last charge or how many miles since your last fill-up on gas; (10) no displays (either here or in the main computer screen) showing a diagrams with the amount of electric and/or gas power going to each of the four wheels (this kind of display is present in our RAV4 Prime costing half as much, in both the instrument panel *and* the main computer screen); (11) no display of oil level; (12) no display of phone contacts, or the ability to make calls from your steering wheel (aided by the list of contacts in the instrument panel that you can scroll through); (13) no display of music/audio being played. Every one of these things are present in my Porsche PHEV and many of these things are present in our lowly RAV4 Prime. A blank screen at the center with no map is absurd; you could display all those missing things above in that space. As for the steering wheel, it is lacking other important things that I have in my Porsche PHEV: (1) a dial to turn to go through the different drive modes (there is no such button/switch in the Volvo anywhere -- you have to go into sub-menus in the infotainment screen); (2) phone buttons and dials to call and go through contacts;; (3) a programmable button that you can choose to toggle or change something that you like to do a lot with your car. Another big omission from Volvo's fading safety record (fading because of the move to touchscreens) is not having an infrared camera with display in the instrument panel; this is a huge safety omission, because infrared cameras help to pick out heat signatures of pedestrians and animals and cyclists at night (through glare or through darkness) and also to see objects in dense fog (in daytime or nighttime). The trip odometer is also very limited and unwieldy; only one trip can be custom-set (a rarity in the car world today). (As an aside, Volvo also did away with standard headlight buttons/dials and put them instead on the left (turn-signal) stalk coming out of the steering wheel -- but it's not backlit, so you can't see your headlight settings in the dark or at night (same with the windshield-wiper stalk not being backlit).

[@zzoinks]

That's bizarre! About the turn signal stalks and the headlight stalk, though I'm guessing that backlit control stalks are some modern feature because none of our older cars have that. It's just printed labels no lights on the stalks.

[@whygamewhy]

I like the car for the hardware, design and mileage and how much it is cheaper in price, service and package to the German premiums, but I agree with all of your points above. The infotainment system and especially the instrument cluster is bizarrely minimalistic. Having a "calm mode" that leaves a huge space in the middle that could have so much more useful information is such a ridiculous almost insultingly lame excuse for a technical oversight. They also covered up the spot for original turn wheel that quickly switches drive mode with a plastic cap. Now if u want to overtake with the full 455hp, you need to tap 3 times on the infotainment system, which is not always sensitive, to switch mode. Last but not least, they use the "client data privacy" excuse to omit a simple drive record system from their 360 camera to try to make you pay 2000 dollars for an integrated dash cam. Volvo are renowned for their safety, but sometimes I feel that what they are doing these days are either resulting in the opposite of that or using safety as an pretence for more profit.

[@daviddreyfuss2453]

Max, you are a very knowledgeable and articulate new member of Kyle's team - this video was concise and thorough.

[@nospamallowed4890]

Very nice features but it makes me think of a bunch of questions that I have not found answers for anywhere: - Does the car has its own internet connectivity? If yes, who pays for it? If no, does it assume we'd connect to the phone for its security and other updates? Or wifi? - Even if you don't connect it to the phone and never login to a google account, what stops google from cross-correlating your position to that of the car and automatically know it's you and linking the accounts behind the scenes to profile you? In Europe it would be illegal due to GDPR, but anywhere else it's the wild west and our politicians don't seem to be in a hurry to fix the problem. - How do you wipe any history kept by Android Auto, and if the automaker copies the data to storage in the car itself, how do you wipe that history? And how do you prevent from all of that going to the manufacturer or Google? This would be uniquely important before taking the car in for service anywhere. - It was mentioned that the car will get Android updates. But Google has a history of stopping updates after 5 years (and other manufacturers are even worse). And yet I keep my cars for 10 or more years. One car I kept over 20 years. Does that mean it will become hackable because of lack of security updates? - Does any data go from the phone to the car when you connect? I think I saw reports of Android Auto vacuuming your contact list. That could be extremely dangerous. Or is there a way to tell Android Auto to stay stupid and ONLY act as a conduit to let the phone use the screen(s), microphone and speakers of the car? - Finally, can you completely shut down Android Auto if the answers to all of the above aren't what we'd like to hear and prefer to use the car as a dumb device instead of a smart one? Finally, SUGGESTION FOR A VIDEO: Do a video to help customers understand how to properly use Android Auto without any data collection by the car, nor transmitted to the manufacturer nor Google. And if it is not possible... what is the closest we can come to it, and/or how to permanently and completely shut Android Auto down.

[@cbatiau2528]

Glad you did this video. I've been living with (what Volvo calls) the Google OS in my '22 XC60 T8 ER for eight months now. Here's what I hate about it (besides what I already wrote a day or two ago in another comment about disliking vertical screens (because they aren't as flexible in cars as horizontal screens -- if they are laid into the dashboard and not tacked on like an iPad-glued-to-dashboard): (1) icons are too small, and with most roads not being silky smooth, my fingers are all-too-often hitting the wrong icons and taking me into sub-menus that I then have to exit from, and start all over again; (2) too many important features are buried into sub-menus -- dangerous for drivers taking their eyes off the roads for long periods; (3) there is no way to customize the home screen; (4) there is no way to show multiple panels (with multiple functions), other than i. maps, ii. one radio function, iii. phone, and iv. one "app" (like a phone app) -- and when you display those four "lines" of options, you can't see what is going on with them, really; (5) you can show multiple panels -- in a very limited way that's not really a huge improvement -- with Apple CarPlay, but CarPlay can only be played with your phone wired to a USB-C port in the center-armrest storage area, and then you can't plug in a flash drive (as I always have plugged in with my music, which I don't keep on my iPhone, and so I don't use CarPlay, which I don't find very good software, anyway, and not worth having to take up valuable phone space for music storage); (6) the infotainment screen is very buggy and glitchy, and it's prone to freezing for long periods (meaning you lose access to rear-view camera, climate and audio settings, drive-mode settings, my air conditioning, etc.); (7) yeah, drive-mode settings are in the touchscreen only -- super-frustrating (should be a dial/button on the steering wheel); (8) only a few Google apps are available for download, and they're almost all crappy and not worth having; (9) I have AudioWagon for my flash-drive music, and it works most of the time (but occasionally doesn't), and it always flashes an error message when starting up the car that I have to dismiss with a touch on the touchscreen that says my flashdrive is not compatible (a lie), followed by having another message asking if I want to connect to AudioWagon -- both of which have to be dismissed before I can see my back-up camera view; (10) then I get a third message most (but not all) of the time asking if I want to install new software (I don't because you have to leave your car locked for an hour or two, parked, to install new software), which I have to dismiss also; (11) I'm just getting started. Is there anything to like about the Google OS in the infotainment screen? To be honest, NO. I will say that the Google Maps is a huge improvement over the old crappy Sensus maps in Volvos, but the lettering is too small and the highlighted traffic-flow colors too thin and hard to see; the navigation is generally good once you get it working, but getting it set to where you want to go is hit-or-miss (voice commands are a "D+" or "C-" in my book for this car, with the majority of things I ask the car to do not being available or understood), and the icons on the Google Maps are really horrible. When you re-center the map, you lose your zoom-in level; it always resets to something like 1.5x1.5 miles; touchscreens are just horrible for moving around on a map when the car is moving and the road is bumpy (my Porsches have dials below the map screen that you conveniently turn to zoom in or out without making mistakes). The radio system sucks in the Google OS; you have to go into sub-menus to change from FM to AM radio, and AM radio is only from an app you have to download (IHeartRadio, for example), and it takes a while to start any radio station because you're loading an app and starting a program running (which doesn't always start up and doesn't always run) -- unlike an analog radio with buttons and dials in which the radio comes on IMMEDIATELY without fail, ever. And CarPlay sucks anyway; it's not a great app, and any automaker should have the best things that CarPlay offers in its own OS anyway. I do wish that Apple would create an entire OS with screens built into cars like this, instead of letting Google do it and instead of needing your phone for anything besides making phone calls. And then there's the whole issue of the crappy instrument panel (which is way too basic and lacks way too many important features). But I've written enough here just on the infotainment touch screen! I give the Volvo Google infotainment system a "D" (and that's being kind, boosted mainly because of the Google Maps not being horrible); for comparison, the Porsche infotainment screen/system of the last 4-5 years (which I'm well familiar with in two Porsches I've owned in that span) gets a grade of "A", and Volvo should look at it to see what Porsche does right and Volvo gets absolutely wrong. Even Toyota, costing half as much, has a better infotainment system (and it's pretty basic, and I'd give it a "C"). And voice commands is NEVER an acceptable excuse for doing away with physical buttons/dials; voice commands simply are not that good, and I don't want to use voice commands when I am talking to or listening to passengers in my car, on the phone, or listening to radio/music.

[@elpatron762]

Quite the effort sir, but interesting to see a real world impression of this new os. I was considering to get a used volvo may sometime next yeah, but the points you are making are definitely understandable and make sense. Now i have to rethink and start from zero if to get a volvo or not, because nobody likes to sit in a goodlooking car with crappy electronics which most probably will fail on daily tasks. Why cant they fit in hyundais entertainment system in their cars, that would be perfect. Heard nothing but praises from it

[@demoacct]

Had a '24 S60 loaner for a few days, and the Volvo's AAOS implementation is honestly a deal-breaker. Main gripe is with the mostly-blank, non-customizable instrument cluster. No built-in MP3 USB support, either (and the third-party AudioWagon app is buggy). When the built-in LTE connection occasionally burps, Google Assistant stops working.

[@TerraMp]

I totally agree with you! The Volvo-s are wonderful cars with terrible info systems

[@Ridcul]

From experience, (2022 xc60) it took a year of over the air updates to fix stability. Its runs fine since 2023 in (in my exp) The latest Google maps update wasn't good at all, it now anchors the zoom to your location and free move is a pain. Besides this, it is frustration free to just tell the lady to "lets go home" or to work and it will give you the best route etc (just set up for home/work location with gmap). Besides Google maps I normally use Skype or Audible for entertainment which you can control with voice commands. Is a car I don't need anything else. Other than that i control the AC, with voice commands without problems. I do wish we could control Drive Modes with voice commands since there is no physical input for this. And like mentioned, the display option is buried deep in settings, basically Volvo decided to force us to use the default hybrid mode... instead of letting the consumer decide on demand. This might be a deal breaker for a Phev car but moot in electric cars which is where Volvo is going. Still no excuse.

[@endautrestermes]

Very good video. One of the rare car related vid being really critical about Android Auto and its pitfalls, not only the convenience factor. Thanks !

[@LonApex]

INSANE bump in quality in this video.

[@BikerJim74]

lol

[@iMaxPatten]

I might have gone too far haha. We’ll reserve this level of production for special videos in the future 😉

[@AllPurposeBen]

I have AAOS in my S60 and it’s a train wreck, big step backward from Sensus. The map integration with the PHEV system doesn’t work very well, maybe the pure EVs are better. AAOS has a long long way to go, at least with Volvo.

[@b127_1]

I'm not a big fan of my car sending all my personal data to google, but at least it will put pressure on manufacturers to improve their crappy infotainment and voice assistants.

[@davidmccarthy6061]

At least we can hope it does.

[@mluu510]

Why you so paranoid? What do you think they'll do with that data besides trying to market and be more helpful?

[@b127_1]

@@mluu510 Advertising is the primary way Google makes money. It is not a stretch to think that Google will use some of the data that it now has access to.

[@ZachCurry13]

Your computer and cell phone already does. Lol

[@mluu510]

@@b127_1 yes, I used to work for Google 😘

[@DaddyDan77]

Wife just got her 2023 Yukon SLE and it has the Google interface. Wife loves it but we're Android phone users and her last vehicle had GMs system from 2 generations ago.

[@ayeomandvl]

I have this same car. The biggest bug is the radio doesn't turn on when you start the car consistently. You have to press play in the app most times. I got so frustrated I downloaded iHeart and it does the same thing. You always have to open the app and press play. Volvo sent an email today that an OTA update is releasing this week that sounds like it may fix it. Your car will also brick if you try to do an OTA update with the charger connected. At least they give you a warning now. I have a reservation for Blazer and ready to go full electric again

[@cypvh74]

Will be interesting with CarPlay 16, where they showed a lot more integration possibilities with the in-car systems.

[@TimothyBaylosis]

Production quality on point. Shallow DOF looks nice. White balance needs work. Presenter is great. Big fan.

[@ChrisBigBad]

I had this in a rental. And all of a sudden, I went from one Android device, to two Android devices. Apps need to share data through the cloud, if even available for the car. I was very sad. I found my navigation targets while sitting in a cafe, then I walked to the car and had to hope my selections would show up in the search history. Not everything you click on will go there, so that was annoying. I also see cars driving around with glaring security problems in the middle future. A stupid car showing the screen of my mobile seemed like the better idea to me.

[@stevensnow4112]

At 7:51 you began to list all the reasons I will not sign in to google on the car. My 2017 V90, when gas gets low, asks me if I want directions to the nearest stations. A quick hit on the steering wheel starts navigation. One thing I may like it being able to get podcasts. Serius, to my knowledge, does not let you access podcasts in the car. Thanks for the info.

[@CaryInVictoria]

Excellent video! Too many reviewers of Volvos with Android Automotive complain about small things with no mention of how it may evolve in future. In particular, Google is ideally positioned for a future in which cars will need to talk to each other. I’m curious why Apple is not offering car manufacturers a competing operating system.

[@Cal94]

it's fine for us techies to have hopes and dreams, but a reviewer's job is to tell us [what is]. marketing teams and PR people sell us [what could be]. and MKBHD said it best: [buy a phone for what it is today, not what it could be tomorrow]. Also, these heavily digitized infotainments' ability to evolve could be a double edged sword. we have an abundance of instances in other devices, where google software updates brick functionality, or intentionally remove features. there are downsides to UX no longer being static.

[@jbmop]

If you don’t log in or don’t agree to Google saving your voice recordings to the cloud, can you use the voice commands?

[@gkool4529]

Do the media apps work like iOS apps? With Spotify do you get offline download, syncing across devices, creating playlists, etc?

[@PraiseYAyoupeople]

I drive for a living and google automotive with google maps is the best feature of the Volvo s90

[@semgalaxyplayz6195]

I have a question. Does It have park assist like the old XC60? Because I can't seem to find It.

[@flo9894]

So... if I understand correctly, you don't need your phone to be connected to the car to listen for example Spotify? Just need to download the app directly on the infotainment system and then enter you account?

[@CaptDnaDonut]

I really like the sync 4A system in my Mustang Mach-E. I think Ford has done a pretty good job. I was worried that they wouldn't actually push over the air updates but they have pushed a number of updates during the back half of this year. And now I can watch KZbin in my Mustang Mach-E while it charges. Hoping Twitch and Netflix come at some point too. Once Android Auto Coolwalk (I know android auto =/= android automotive) can do route planning I will probably use it again because the visual redesign is very nice. I like calling android carplay lol. I doubt that when ford moves over to android automotive my Mach-E will get the update but thats okay.

[@mluu510]

Too bad mach e has a portrait display too. Not a smart design since you know people wanna watch video while charging

[@CaptDnaDonut]

@@mluu510 it's a big enough portrait display to be able to enjoy videos. If it was as small as the one in this video it might be a problem.

[@mluu510]

@@CaptDnaDonut but it would be so much better if it was landscape like Tesla. Tesla learned their lessons and switched to landscape because of this

[@CaptDnaDonut]

@@mluu510 🤷🏽‍♂️ if they change it they change it. Works well now so I don't really care. I'm happy that KZbin is available. I wasn't sure they would bother because of the portrait orientation.

[@pacoflyer]

Just got the wife the v60 polestar version which has this. But our biggest annoying thing is there is not Android auto. So we can't use Waze. Do you know if that is coming?

[@nicolasfortin4216]

if car as a service is the future we need more and more integration of mobile platform being Android, iOS or else to get the full benefits of personalization when you get your ride share. It's the future like they say 🙂

[@bhargavareddy9315]

Hey, I have tried to use android auto with my 2023 Volvo XC60 Plus. It doesn't show up. Can we use android auto connected to my android phone?

[@reginaldpierre]

Purchased Xc90 2023 and seems for now Android Auto from the phone is disabled. Also not seeing Waze in the play store as an option.

[@timoliver8940]

In my Mini S E the I drive shows me useless things like all the gas stations but important things like change places……………. Only those BMW wants me to use and not our nationwide network of free to use EV chargers! Even in the latest version in the iX I test drove recently I was still shown all the gas stations in preference to the EV charge places!

[@stargate25645]

Google has issues with their lane display still, all these years later. They have slowly closed down their phones over the years to pad their bottom line and own products. They release Android and Android Auto versions that have issues with common phones - proper testing seems lax. I am wary of Google being in control of the software for my car as well.

[@ikocheratcr]

I am happy to see android in the car, and not those crappy UI some manufacturers are throwing in, BUT: I wonder how long security updates will be available, a car does not last 5years. Also, what about adds? are there any or what is the deal there?

[@iMaxPatten]

As we’ve seen with Mazda and others lately, it’s not exactly like the car companies are doing an amazing job of security updates themselves. I have no doubt Google would have better support if they put their back into it, but that company also has a track record of shutting down services the minute they don’t succeed (Stadia, almost every messaging app they’ve released, etc.) If I were a car OEM I’d hope there’s a long term contract for commitment from Google here.

[@Dan-rpr]

No ability to play from pen drive without 3rd party app. Doesn't show what's playing unless your viewing the music apps. You cannot browse and choose music from a Bluetooth connected phone using the Bluetooth Player. Lack of apps in the Play Store. inaccurate speed limit shown on central display/head-up display

[@botigerberg8304]

why can´t I play music in full CD in my -23 google Volvo ?? In my -21 with sensus I could play it with an USB. And also had equalizer. Now I have spotify but it is not full CD ???

[@cbatiau2528]

not sure why you go on and on about charging stations via Google Maps (3:50) for electric vehicles, because this is a PHEV, not a BEV... Almost nobody with a PHEV seriously charges away from home...

[@cypvh74]

Only reason we don’t charge our PHEV away from home more often, is a lack of charging infrastructure. An integrated system might make it easier to at least find if there are any nearby.

[@gustavomercado1599]

Can Max appear more often??? As much as I like Kyle's info he talks way to much, sometimes it gets tiring. contrary to Max's straight to the point approach

[@jeffs6090]

I saw that this was eventually going to be the next step in vehicle's infotainment systems, having Google or some other tech company provide the software for the automakers. They do a horrible job with it because they're not in that business. Although I'd like to see them also go to electronics companies to get the hardware since that's a downside too. Screens like Mercedes with the one inch of black all around the image is just atrocious! In this day and age, most devices (phones, tablets and tvs) have the image go all the way to the edge. The resolution and refresh rates of many screens are also horribly lacking. So, in addition to automakers getting software from tech companies, they now need to go to the likes of Samsung, Apple, LG, Sony, etc to get their screens.

[@johnnyv5995]

How ironic, Google not allowed in China yet Volvo is owned by Geely(China based)

[@mswindoc]

Does "Automotive" force me to use the manufacturer's "built-in" data subscription, or can I use my own phone for the data it uses? I AIN'T paying for another phone service just for my car!

[@zekew7546]

Did I miss it? Is an owner charged a perpetual subscription fee? After initial 3/4 years?

[@iMaxPatten]

No there’s no subscription fee for Automotive. That won’t stop Volvo/BMW whomever from charging for connectivity on the side (LTE connection, etc.) The business model on Google’s end doesn’t revolve around subscription revenue though.

[@bakerabdin6934]

I have the 2023 XC60 but I don’t have the android auto app on the car or on the play store. Can I download it on this car or is it not available because of the android automotive? If anyone can help me it would be amazing thank you in advance

[@zzoinks]

Not sure if you can still use Android auto with the Android Automotive car operating system, though.

[@MrBossix]

The dealer, an official Volvo dealer, explained to me that Android Auto is simply not supported (like Car Play), because Automotive is a replacement for AA.

[@kennyyoung-rb2cf]

Well that makes it a little easier to choose my next car, it won't be an BMW. That's for sure My private information stays private, will not be sharing my information via MY car. Luckily there are manufacturers out that that still respects their customers and their privacy.

[@cypvh74]

Did you miss where you don’t need to use an account?

[@nfc153]

Well now I know what to check for when I buy another car. Having got myself out of the ever-worsening cycle of frustration that was Android, I definitely do not want to go back to it in a car. Ford, Mazda, Volvo et al will not be on the shopping list next time around.

[@iMaxPatten]

Mazda hasn't made any announcements about Android Automotive, so you can keep them on your list!

[@andrei450]

Is it possible to dictate and hear WhatsApp messages like in Android Auto?

[@zekew7546]

Does Android Automotive improve over the air automotive manufacturers updates?

[@iMaxPatten]

Theoretically it should since it’s much more like a smartphone model. Polestar models with Automotive have gone from very buggy to somewhat decent now from what I’ve heard. Owners of the car could clarify better than me though.

[@cbatiau2528]

Totally agree that landscape-style screens in cars (1:08) are vastly better than portrait-style (vertical) screens... They look better, you can better integrate them into the dashboard (most automakers with vertical screens have ugly "iPads-glued-to-dashboard" versions), and they're more practical in terms of spreading out multiple "tiles" at a time showing different types of information.

[@nancyfraczek2867]

Can you use an android phone with this car? I am disappointed to only see the Apple Play app.

[@chrisjordan8137]

Yes, of course you can use an Android phone. Our 2 Samsungs both connect smoothly, and its simple to switch between them. You can have phone connected or phone usage, and another connected for Bluetooth playback (we listen to stories on the phone while driving). What is not available at present is Android Auto - but we have never used that in any cars, so not a loss to us.

[@icemanbldr]

any thoughts (rumors) as to whether Volvo will update existing xc90 Recharge to use Android Auto?

[@iMaxPatten]

I believe that’s the plan. All of the 2023 vehicles are seemingly getting Android Automotive (not Auto, I know, terrible naming scheme)

[@arjtalwar]

There was nothing nerdy about this review. Intact just the functionality was shown.

[@murda2999]

Thanks for the video, but I think I'll stick with my Tesla.

[@TerraMp]

I have a V90 (2023). The Google infotainment system is a big disaster. Especially the instrument cluster. No customization, just one '90s-style "graphical" mode, and if you're not navigating, you'll just see a big, ugly black screen (previously, before Google OS, there were 4 types of graphics on the instrument cluster, now there is only one). The Car Play works only wired, that's in 2024 is a joke. The driving modes and physical button have been eliminated, the instrument cluster is a big dark void, you can't customize anything, you can't off the start/stop system and I could list endlessly. Get in a random 2024 premium car and you'll fly 10 years into the future compared to this. The car is physically amazing, which is why I'm disappointed with the terrible info system. I don't understand why Volvo would degrade this otherwise excellent car with such an outdated and poorly functioning nightmare?

[@snaroff007]

That's what happens when you (in this case, Volvo), sub-contract out for the operating system of your product!! The folks at Google are tasked with targeting their OS to many autos. Not all apparently get the same love & care. I have the Volvo OS that shipped with my 2018 XC 60...works great and is reliable. My sister bought a 2020 XC 60 based on my recommendation and recently had Volve buy it back after they suffered with the Google OS (which was rebooting and buggy while driving!). Volvo tried fixing it, but since it was software related and they don't control Google, it was a total shit show. I think collaborating with "real" software companies like Apple/Google is a great thing, however it appears the car companies don't have the right balance. I'm considering another XC60 Recharge and can't believe they still don't have wireless Apple CarPlay. I can likely live without, however the omission is a sign of larger issues. Full disclosure: I worked in Apple software for 20 years and know a thing or 2 about focus/priorities when it comes to porting software and working with other companies. Bottom line: I'm thinking of keeping my 2018 because it's been rock solid and I'm concerned the Google software still isn't solid/competitive.

[@garyclark6747]

So Google owns KZbin which leaves me zero reason to wonder why my original comment was removed without a trace. Surprised I still have an account at this point.💯 Case dismissed. I’ll walk before my vehicle has these tentacles 🦑 in it. 🎯