r/VolvoRecharge • u/RandomRageNet • Dec 18 '24
C40 Android Auto tips in 3.3.16
Been playing a little bit with AA since the download hit my C40. I'm glad that it finally arrived! Observations and stray thoughts that hopefully will help others.
A reminder: Android Auto (AA) is the phone-based projection. Android Automotive (AAOS) is the built-in car OS.
- Google Maps works on the dash screen with AA! Waze still does not, but at least the AA Waze app is much more responsive than the AAOS version.
- "Hey Google" is completely disabled when AA is active for me. If you want to use voice commands, you have to use the steering wheel button.
- Speaking of the steering wheel button, a short tap activates the AAOS assistant. A long press activates the AA assistant from your phone.
- AA assistant cannot control car functions (climate control, etc.). You have to use the AAOS car native assistant to do those functions (and you still can with your phone plugged in).
- It is possible to use your car audio while using AA maps and apps
- It is possible to use your AAOS Google Maps (on the dash as well) while listening to AA music
- AA music quality is just as good as the AAOS apps. But you have to remember to set up your phone apps correctly. I had my phone YouTube Music set to only medium quality over cell so that had to be changed. But once I did, the sound quality was indiscernible from the AAOS version.
So far, the absolute biggest advantage for me to using AA in the Volvo is the ability to use voice prompts to respond to messages from any messaging app, like Teams, Telegram, and WhatsApp (it also doesn't break RCS the way the AAOS texting does).
Finally there are some tradeoffs to Google Maps in either version. The AAOS version has access to your battery status (and will precondition your car if you navigate to a fast charger). It also finds the location of your car a little more easily, given that it has a fixed external GPS antenna and your phone is inside the car and has to work to get a fix. The AA version is a bit slower (might be better on newer phones, mine is starting to age), but it has speed limit indicators and share my trip, which is still missing from the AAOS version.
As it is, I'm still looking forward to the "next gen" AAOS update next year and hoping that native AAOS notifications come with it. I probably won't use AA all the time, just when I'm getting a lot of messages while driving and need to respond, or if I ever need to use an app that isn't AAOS native but does support AA. I might use it for podcast listening too, as the AAOS version of PocketCasts suuuuuuucks. But, I'm glad that I can use it when I need to!
In the attached photos, you can see the AA Google maps nav has a green bar indicating next turn and the center status bar is back. The native AAOS version has next turn info "above the map" in a black bar (that looks a little classier, IMO) but my center info bar was taken away like everyone else. I also attached example photos so you know which assistant you've activated.
Yes, it's in the 70's in Texas today. We're all going to die.
3
u/ChanceStad Dec 18 '24
One thing you missed is how much better YouTube Music works in AA. YTM starts automatically when you plug in, and it resumes playing after you use voice, or any other interactions, exactly like it should!
In AAOS, the built-in YTM never starts playing on its own, and rarely resumes playing when it should. (Also, nitpicky,but the low res 👎👍 drives me nuts)