Polestar cars now get full-screen Apple Maps on driver's display

Source: Polestar

Electric vehicle company Polestar is issuing an over-the-air update to its cars, which includes extended CarPlay functions with Maps, and steering wheel buttons.

A year after replacing its own in-car infotainment system with basic CarPlay, Polestar is now adding more of Apple's functionality. An over-the-air (OTA) update named P2.9 is currently rolling out to existing users, and will be installed in all future Polestar models.

Coming in hot The latest #Polestar2 OTA update includes notable upgrades like the updated Range Assistant, more #AppleCarPlay functionality, and the introduction of the official integrated #YouTube App. Learn more here: https://t.co/IB6iOAWVxJ pic.twitter.com/EsiqeZleDT
— Polestar (@PolestarCars) June 1, 2023

"We know how much our customers look forward to over-the-air upgrades and I am convinced this one will be well received, with notable new features and enhancements," said Thomas Ingenlath, Polestar CEO, in a statement. "Bringing Apple Maps to the driver display is one of many important updates to Apple CarPlay in Polestar 2."

As well as showing Apple Maps full screen on the car's driver display, the new update adds "integration of additional phone and media information on the home screen tile." That includes "handling of calls using steering wheel buttons, and projection of calls" onto the display.

Alongside the CarPlay enhancements, Polestar's update adds an updated Range Assistant app which "delivers more accurate predictions," and in some unspecified way "supports an improved driving style."

Cars with the new update will also be able to play YouTube on the driver's display. "YouTube is great for entertainment while charging," says Ingenlath.

Polestar was one of the partner companies mentioned by Apple at WWDC 2022, when it gave a rare preview of future CarPlay features.

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5 Comments

ravnorodom

said about 10 months ago

I don't own the car and probably never will unless I hit a lotto jacket. Putting that aside, but wow, a full screen CarPlay. Nice. CarPlay started from 4:3 screen to wide screen and now full screen. I like how my CarPlay fill up my Lexus' entire wide screen. Icons and exit numbers are nice and big and I can read them quickly without keeping my eyes off the road for too long. It's 10 times better than navigation map from car manufacture which is ridiculously hard to read on exit numbers and directions. CarPlay looks cartoony but it helps when I am driving. Safety first and Apple delivers.

migselv

said about 10 months ago

Sadly The Chinese Polestar company has decided to milk their customers for private information by installing Android Automotive spyware in their cars.

Until Google no longer throws my personal information all over the place I will be buying my cars from companies that value my privacy.

welshdog

said about 10 months ago

I'm kind of hoping that Volvo/Polestar have chosen Google/Android temporarily and will move to full Carplay once Apple has it fully developed to serve as a car operating system. Or maybe they'll offer both and you choose one at the time of purchase.

nimbuschild

said about 10 months ago

I don't understand why people are so biased about their personal data. All big tech companies collect data and share it with whoever they find necessary. It's not just about Android/Google but about everybody else, too. It would be weird if they didn't.

migselv

said about 10 months ago

nimbuschild said:

I don't understand why people are so biased about their personal data. All big tech companies collect data and share it with whoever they find necessary. It's not just about Android/Google but about everybody else, too. It would be weird if they didn't.

A local broadcaster did an experiment, where they installed a game on the phone of a child in a school class. Nothing else, after two weeks the held a meeting with the class. The families where quite shocked when they were confronted with information on which families were divorced, which families that had been to the Doctor for birth control procedures, which families that had problems paying their debts, what sort of sports the whole family did etc.

Imagine the next time You went to Your local store and to get in You would have to hand over Your entire message history, location history, shopping history, credit line, personal photos, medical history, Your contacts.....just walking in. Then imagine that any manufacturer/marketer that You pass in the store follows Your each and every step for the next month.

All of us probably remember the story of a teenager that was called out in Target's marketing as being pregnant. Today this is a research area but based on big data (i.e. all the data You don't understand is a problem that is collected)

The same TV program as above also purchased/given as a sample data (assembled under the individuals Google number) of about 500,000 persons. By using the data they could easily find a specific person. They had access to loads of personal information, all from this "innocent" data collection. Imagine if they had access to data from different "vendors"

In the EU (where I live) it is prohibited to collect any data that combined with other collected data can make it possible to identify any specific person. For instance Appleinsider uses Google Analytics, Doubleclick and embeded Youtube Videos etc. They all collect information under a number and is always looking for patterns to which devices is used by the same persons or persons that have relationships (couples/family) and register this. Combine this with any user of Google Maps/Android phones and You have a very clear picture of who the person is how they can be influenced (purchasing and political) Then this becomes a dystopian view.

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