Some thoughts on Google AAOS

[Zwerg]

Hi all

I’m posting some thoughts about the new Google Automotive interface that is now included with many new models. For background, I have a new MY22 XC60 running version 1.10 of the Google system, which I've owned for around 3 weeks now. I previously had a MY19 XC60 which had the Sensus interface, so I have experience of where things don’t work quite the same as they did. I am also a long term iPhone user, so am not that familiar with the Google / Android ecosystem - I realise that this may impact my comprehension of some of the functionality.

As a general point, the Maps graphics look pretty, and the Google Assistant works well in as much as it accurately recognises the spoken words. You can ask it the usual things like what is the weather, and it can operate some vehicle controls - for example the heated seats, aircon etc. However, there are quite a few things that it doesn’t understand - for instance it cannot set the speed limiter or Pilot assist. It will also take a note for you, but I couldn’t find any way to delete previous notes or transfer them out of the car so that I could read them on my phone.

Some other strange behaviours/gaps include:
- if you have Maps showing on the centre console, and change your music (eg forward to next track) via the steering wheel keys, there is no visible media information on either screen. So you don’t know the details of the track you have selected. On Sensus, track details were shown on the dashboard.

- You can no longer mute music using the right steering pad button. It’s now only possible by pressing a “soft” button the centre screen.

- There is no odometer reading on the dashboard - you have to press a button to see it.

- I can’t see any way to enable speed camera alerts now.

- Car Status app now only shows tyre pressures and oil level, no mpg details etc - you can see mpg on the dashboard but not the centre console.

- Dashboard layout is limited to the same design either with the map showing, or no map (and a black hole where the map was). There are no other configuration options that I could see.

- I find the Google maps female voice quite grating. You can change the Google Assistant to a male voice, but it switches back to the grating female voice when giving map directions. I couldn’t see anyway to prevent this.

- Despite being promised in the sales brochure, there is no Apple CarPlay provided so I cannot use an alternative map application to get round the issue above. I understand CarPlay will be added via a future software update, but it’s unclear when.

- If you change the zoom level in Maps, it only keeps it for a short time and then changes back to its default setting.

- There are hardly any apps available in the Play store. It's not the same Play store as for Android phones, it's only for Google AAOS.

- I've posted before about this, but it is no longer possible to switch between speed limiter, ACC and Pilot Assist using the left steering keypad. It can only be done via the centre console. This involves a minimum of 6 separate interactions on the centre console - 4 to get into the right menu and switch from e.g. speed limiter to Pilot assist, plus 2 more to get back to Maps. The steering keypad then has to be used to enable it and set the speed. For me, this is the worst change because it now directly impacts safety - what used to be a simple and intuitive action is now much more difficult to achieve, and requires your eyes to be diverted away from the road for too long - you have to look at the centre console as you are pressing the menu options, because there is no physical button to aim for.

Overall, I have to say that I am left disappointed by the Google interface. It lacks many usability features and options that were present under Sensus, so it feels like we’ve taken one step forward and two steps back. I expect that things will gradually improve as software updates are released, but it feels a bit too much like a beta product that just wasn’t quite ready to be released into production vehicles.

These things can be subjective, I’m sure that many people will love the new interface. It’s possible that my perception is jaded because I previously had a Sensus car. Anyway, that’s my 2 pence worth. Happy to be corrected if I've misunderstood any of the functionality.

[LRS]

[Zwerg] I completely hear you on this.

For me it’s all about stability, predictability and reliability – none of which I feel are there in my new MY22 XC60 AAOS/Google system car.

Sensus may be proprietary and may not be the trendiest technology on the block, but in most cases, it had those things above.

Having experienced a number of wacky and sometimes disturbing events with my car, driving it long distances or using it on holiday fills me with great anxiety. It would be OK if I had a Volvo support vehicle following me the whole time, ready to fix what goes wrong.

The car is completely unpredictable, almost acting as if it’s possessed… So, every morning when you start it up you run the gauntlet – what’s working today and what’s not working today? Even Microsoft software behaves better than the XC60s software, and that’s saying something.

[Stu22]

Hi - new member here. We upgraded from MY2020 XC40 to a MY 2022 XC60 2 days ago, so similar in the move from Sensus to AAOS.
My first impression is that AAOS is a slicker interface but too I feel that we have been a little short changed in functionality. Hopefully they will continue to develop the platform and gradually introduce the missing pieces.
It took a few days fiddling to get both mine and my wife's phones to work seamlessly (Android and Apple) but seems to be ok now, time will tell.....

[Dohnut]

What are dealers saying here? Did they give you guys a heads-up when selling the cars?

[Stu22]

Originally Posted by Dohnut

What are dealers saying here? Did they give you guys a heads-up when selling the cars?

I had mixed messages from the dealers we spoke to, some favoured Sensus and some AAOS - probably.more down to the car they were trying to sell is!

[FreddieC73]

After two S80 (2007 and 2011), I had a 2018 V90 with sensus and then a 2022 V90 with Google automotive, so I have seen in first person how the system evolved.
I remember having an initial “oh my God, the previous system was so much better” phase every time I upgraded.
I must admit I really liked sensus, and the first impression of android automotive was so bad that I considered getting a V60 instead (still sensus based).
It has grown on me with time, and I am starting to like it. Maybe I have been lucky, but I had “only” two instances where the car lost android functions, but it was still drivable. The first time was as soon as picked up: they had to reinstall the whole software, as it crashed while they were showing me the car functions and pairing the phone/app. After one month, I lost completely connectivity, and the system had to be reinstalled, this time they said that the previous re installation was incomplete and eventually resulted in the system crashing.
What I like: it is faster, compared to sensus; it is easier to navigate menus (maybe because it has less options?); Navigation with Google maps works better when it come to real time traffic; the map view in the dash is much better; integration with Spotify works very well; voice control works better; on the air updates are not as painful; maps are always up to date because they are downloaded in real time (we will see the cost of keeping this in three years time…).
What I do not like/would like to see improved: definitely more options for the dash graphic, with a sport one; possibility of seeing media information on the dash; more apps (maybe more navigation options, something about fuel economy, a journey diary); apple car play; possibility of using a hard drive/USB to play MP3 (I managed in the previous v90, but failed miserably in this one); we lost pretty much most information on fuel economy when the system was upgraded to android (I drive a T6 recharge and would like to know my Kw usage, mileage driving electric and efficiency, as well as MPG and mileage when running just petrol; overall MPGs are not that informative and lead to believe the cost of ownership is much lower than it is); the previous iteration of the Volvo app was so much better- this one has been stripped down to the bare minimum (no car location, no journey diary, no tracking, not even a reminder that the car is unlocked) and often it fails to connect to the car for some unknown reason.
I feel like Android automotive has enormous potential, but for some reasons it is not delivering it as quick as we were expecting. I do not believe this is due to lack of interest from app developers, and I wonder if this is due instead to strict rules on stability and to reduce the risk of using an app as Trojan horse to “hijack” the car.

[ElCap]

- You can no longer mute music using the right steering pad button. It’s now only possible by pressing a “soft” button the centre screen.

There is actually another way to mute, which is the easiest. Just push the play button in the central console (the one that contains the volume control) and your music/radio is muted. Even better it stays muted next time you start the car until you activate it again!

[LRS]

Originally Posted by Dohnut

What are dealers saying here? Did they give you guys a heads-up when selling the cars?

At the time of ordering, my feeling is that my dealer was in the dark as much as myself. AAOS/Google was completely new to everyone.

What started to worry me after purchasing, was when I received my first OTA update from v1.7 to v1.8 and discovered my audio balance and fader adjustments were gone. I contacted Volvo UK to query this and they were unable to provide any details at all – not even what the car should have as standard i.e., no specification details and no Owners Manual information.

Also, if you look at the difference in the Owners Manuals between Sensus and AAOS systems, the Sensus manuals give you lots of in-depth detailed information about the features and functions, which is what they always did in the past. Compare this with the AAOS manuals which primarily provide ‘summary’ information only. (compare the Satnav details provided for the MY21 XC60 (Sensus) with the MY22 XC60 (AAOS).

Something has gone very wrong somewhere within Volvo in so many areas.

[Zwerg]

Originally Posted by LRS

The car is completely unpredictable, almost acting as if it’s possessed… So, every morning when you start it up you run the gauntlet – what’s working today and what’s not working today? Even Microsoft software behaves better than the XC60s software, and that’s saying something.

Thankfully I’ve not had issues like that. In my experience so far, although the Google system lacks features and usability it does at least do what it does reliably. It sounds like your car may have a separate problem, unless I’ve just been lucky so far….

[Fibrous]

I haven't experienced any issues with AAOS but on a few occasions have lost LTE although lately, as in the last 6 or 7 weeks it seems to have a more stable connection. I find both AAOS and Sensus fine to use but recognise that AAOS has plenty more to offer its just not all there, but as an interface its excellent. Steering wheel control of cruise control toggle I have been told by Volvo is being reconsidered for implementation in AAOS cars so we will see, I don't really use that feature personally. With muting sound don't forget you can voice command as well as the centre push on the volume dial, you can also say things like 'reduce volume by 25%' etc to control the volume. I think, as LRS pointed out, the manual needs a haulover as it misses a lot about the AAOS itself, a page with a summary listing all the possible voice control commands would be useful. I understand AAOS v11 will open up more potential and hope its quickly utilised. An XC40 forum member who is a senior Volvo employee has stated that Apple CarPlay is coming in week 20 (so mid May) in the USA so that might be the same here too. He also strangely added that it will be wired. Over on the Polestar forum Moleman, the developer of AudioWagon, that allows audio file playback from a USB stick, has mentioned that 2 Polestar owners who have just had AAOS updated to 11 can no longer read the USB sticks.....so as a regular user I hope that's sorted. Its odd that the new version changes that functionality but early days and I will be keen to test that on update day.