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.