Some thoughts on Google AAOS

[Fibrous]

Since my April posts on the first page AAOS has definitely improved and contrary to LRS I actually now prefer it to Sensus. The navigation system in AAOS is better than Sensus in my opinion. Sensus is very frustrating when it doesn't recognise a postcode and its voice recognition is poor, AAOS handles these very well and the navigation system search is faster. Pretty sure there is more to come for AAOS but since the flurry of updates over the last 5 or 6 months AAOS has improved considerably with Apple CarPlay, the return of USB Audio (via AudioWagon) and Google updated their map app too with items like Satellite view.
I agree with LRS about the lack of Fader/Balance controls and although I never touched those controls, some do and why Volvo excluded them is odd. Having said that as a B&W system owner you have everything you need to tweak the sound settings and it does sound excellent......one of the best sounding systems in my view, helped by the quiet cabin.

[ma42]

Zwerg
just read your very useful and fair criticism of AAOS.
I recently took delivery of a my23 Volvo V60 Recharge PHEV and am very disappointed with AAOS and more so with Volvo's Customer Care attitude to complaints - they don't bother replying to emails. If you telephone, they offer 'tea & sympathy'.

You did not mention the amateurish Android app. My previous car was a Merc E-Class that had a brilliant Android app with excellent functionality. Many less costly vehicles have much more functionality that the Volvo app.

I've also posted a thread about AAOS and the app in the hope that it will stimulate more complaints to Volvo.

[Dolphin10]

Hi Zwerg and ma42.

like ma 42 I have also recently taken delivery of a MY23 V60 T6 and am very disappointed in AAOS, in particular, the loss of ability to alter the balance or fade on the speakers. I say "loss" because having done some forum research, balance and fade was removed in the sw update from 1.7 to 1.8 apparently? I did however get a response (timely and supportive out of Volvo UK customer service) if not out of the product team who were very dismissive suggesting that if i wanted "that level of control" on my audio system I would need to buy the top of the range car with the H&K audio upgrade. I reckon on every car ive owned in the last 37 years (and none of them were £50k!!! like this one), I could change the balance on the speakers, but hey....Volvo product team know best! I did get an apology for the car not coming up to my expectations. I hold little hope of this functionality being restored though i did ask them what the point was of providing 10 speakers in the car without the ability to alter the sound!

[LRS]

Originally Posted by Dolphin10

Hi Zwerg and ma42.

like ma 42 I have also recently taken delivery of a MY23 V60 T6 and am very disappointed in AAOS, in particular, the loss of ability to alter the balance or fade on the speakers. I say "loss" because having done some forum research, balance and fade was removed in the sw update from 1.7 to 1.8 apparently? I did however get a response (timely and supportive out of Volvo UK customer service) if not out of the product team who were very dismissive suggesting that if i wanted "that level of control" on my audio system I would need to buy the top of the range car with the H&K audio upgrade. I reckon on every car ive owned in the last 37 years (and none of them were £50k!!! like this one), I could change the balance on the speakers, but hey....Volvo product team know best! I did get an apology for the car not coming up to my expectations. I hold little hope of this functionality being restored though i did ask them what the point was of providing 10 speakers in the car without the ability to alter the sound!

Hi Dolphin10

It’s of little comfort that I raised this exact same removal issue of the basic L/R Balance & F/R Fader control from the new AAOS XC60 with Volvo UK and Volvo HQ Sweden. I even went as far as raising this issue with the UK Motor Ombudsman who agreed to take on my case.

At the end of a lengthy investigation with Volvo, the final conclusion was that because the decision by Volvo to remove the basic L/R Balance & F/R Fader controls, was not related to a warranty or safety issue, they were not able to take this matter any further on my behalf. I guess the next option would be The Trade Descriptions Act as Volvo failed to document the removal of this function in any of its specification/pricing materials at my time of purchase.

Below is an extract from Volvo to the UK Motor Ombudsman:

"To clarify our position, there is no defect with the vehicle or the vehicle's settings, therefore there is no repair to carry out, nor can we add these features retrospectively, as they are not there by design.

As a manufacturer, Volvo Cars confirmed that the removal of these sound settings with the release of the Google based system was a design change, and that while it was previously available on our previous ‘SENSUS’ systems in earlier models, these settings are not available on the Model Year 2022 XC60 with Google Infotainment system.

As this is a central design decision and the settings are not available in this vehicle specification, we are not able to offer the desired resolution and implement these settings in this case or for the MY22 XC60 in general."

What is more frustrating than anything is that had I known of this function removal by Volvo (the dealer also knew nothing) I would have ordered the next level up audio system upgrade. I am now stuck with a sound system with less audio adjustments than a 20 year old Ford Fiesta!

I can here some people here saying ‘big deal, get over it, enjoy the car’, but for me it’s the principle of the thing, that I was unable to make an informed buying decision due to Volvo’s failure to notify customers that this function had been removed.

[Harrydog01]

Originally Posted by LRS

Hi Dolphin10

It’s of little comfort that I raised this exact same removal issue of the basic L/R Balance & F/R Fader control from the new AAOS XC60 with Volvo UK and Volvo HQ Sweden. I even went as far as raising this issue with the UK Motor Ombudsman who agreed to take on my case.

At the end of a lengthy investigation with Volvo, the final conclusion was that because the decision by Volvo to remove the basic L/R Balance & F/R Fader controls, was not related to a warranty or safety issue, they were not able to take this matter any further on my behalf. I guess the next option would be The Trade Descriptions Act as Volvo failed to document the removal of this function in any of its specification/pricing materials at my time of purchase.

Below is an extract from Volvo to the UK Motor Ombudsman:

"To clarify our position, there is no defect with the vehicle or the vehicle's settings, therefore there is no repair to carry out, nor can we add these features retrospectively, as they are not there by design.

As a manufacturer, Volvo Cars confirmed that the removal of these sound settings with the release of the Google based system was a design change, and that while it was previously available on our previous ‘SENSUS’ systems in earlier models, these settings are not available on the Model Year 2022 XC60 with Google Infotainment system.

As this is a central design decision and the settings are not available in this vehicle specification, we are not able to offer the desired resolution and implement these settings in this case or for the MY22 XC60 in general."

What is more frustrating than anything is that had I known of this function removal by Volvo (the dealer also knew nothing) I would have ordered the next level up audio system upgrade. I am now stuck with a sound system with less audio adjustments than a 20 year old Ford Fiesta!

I can here some people here saying ‘big deal, get over it, enjoy the car’, but for me it’s the principle of the thing, that I was unable to make an informed buying decision due to Volvo’s failure to notify customers that this function had been removed.

Just a thought, and it is not a solution but you should be able to pan left or right on the phone in CarPlay or Bluetooth. I know it’s not back and forward but it could help?

[S90]

Originally Posted by Harrydog01

Just a thought, and it is not a solution but you should be able to pan left or right on the phone in CarPlay or Bluetooth. I know it’s not back and forward but it could help?

There is no option to pan left and right in CarPlay!

[S90]

You’re in a metal box with so much ambient noise, balance and fader are futile! I have never touched them in my current car.

Manufacturers are simplifying things all the time. Next people will be complaining there is no CD player or cigarette lighter!!

[LRS]

Originally Posted by S90

You’re in a metal box with so much ambient noise, balance and fader are futile! I have never touched them in my current car.

Manufacturers are simplifying things all the time. Next people will be complaining there is no CD player or cigarette lighter!!

Simplifying = No / Stupefying = Yes

Oh yeah, and where’s my 8-Track player!

[Dolphin10]

Originally Posted by S90

You’re in a metal box with so much ambient noise, balance and fader are futile! I have never touched them in my current car.

Manufacturers are simplifying things all the time. Next people will be complaining there is no CD player or cigarette lighter!!

Im not sure I agree with you s90 about the metal box and ambient noise. My V60 anyway is quite a nice place to be and the audio system ought to be adjustable to taste....or to account for some disability such as partial hearing loss for example. With basic balance and fade, Im not talking about some high end hi fi adjustment where I might then tend to agree with you about the limit of what you can achieve in a car, but basic balance resolves the issue of all the sounding coming from the drivers door if im on my own in the car which is how it defaults. I think you might be in the minority as a user who has never bothered adjusting balance or fade. Its just not good enough in a car costing >£50k. Furthermore, the manual will have you believe that a computer adjusts the sound based on the number of seats occupied.....well it doesnt! And so I made that point to Volvo too that this is misleading. I think if we just roll over and have our bellies tickled and accept this kind of backward step, we are handing the initiative to the manufacturer to make a cost/functionality trade off to suit their ends, not the customer's...and if there had been some improvement as a benefit from losing balance and fade I might be less fussed....but there isnt! For anyone else who is agreeing with me, there is a balance slide in my iphone so if using spotify or apple car play I can balance the sound quite nicely, but still no fade. No such ability though withn the radio...

[SnineT]

I agree with S90, I cannot ever remember moving the fader settings in any car I've owned, I tried them and basically it just sounded unbalanced.

The drive modes have taken it out of the drivers hands and iirc now automatically sets the car for you according to the conditions it's being used in.

The removal of the ACC settings from the wheel is one I can't understand though, still that's on its way back soon so no harm done.


I read it as many Volvo owners will be set in their ways and don't really like change that much and especially those that have been brand stuck for many years so behave yourselves or you'll be banished to driving a Jar-gu-ah if you're not careful