Android phone users: what would it take to make you basically satisfied with the Air's software?

[DeaneG]

As an Android phone user, I have come to suspect that people who are largely OK with the state of the Air's software likely use iPhones. You can work around a lot of the Air's software shortcomings with CarPlay, and many people prefer to use CarPlay instead any car's native user interface.

My main aggravation with my GT, now that I've added a garage remote so that I can close the garage door while in reverse, is its combination of navigation with Alexa. Most of the time, I can't get Alexa to set a destination properly, no matter how I pronounce the destination, additionally mention a city or street, etc. It mostly works if I tell Alexa the complete address, not the place name. In contrast, Google Assistant with Google Maps in our other EV works nearly every time using a variety of ways to specify a destination.

I'm thinking that if Android Auto becomes available, it will eliminate a lot of the aggravation I feel when using the Air's software. The rest of it I can deal with, to be able to drive a really great car.

How about you?

 

[hydbob]

I'm largely satisfied. Never used homelink so never cared. Lucid nav has worked for me as well as Google maps. After getting Carlinkit running, it really hasn't added much in terms of QOL. My car is stable. Fob works 100% of the time. I'm honestly not sure what extra I need out of this car for my personal use case. Not even added DD Pro features would move that needle.

 

[borski]

Honestly, it sounds like everyone work a Carlinkit has been perfectly happy. Have you tried one @DeaneG ?

 

[Amster]

As an Android phone user, I have come to suspect that people who are largely OK with the state of the Air's software likely use iPhones. You can work around a lot of the Air's software shortcomings with CarPlay, and many people prefer to use CarPlay instead any car's native user interface.

My main aggravation with my GT, now that I've added a garage remote so that I can close the garage door while in reverse, is its combination of navigation with Alexa. Most of the time, I can't get Alexa to set a destination properly, no matter how I pronounce the destination, additionally mention a city or street, etc. It mostly works if I tell Alexa the complete address, not the place name. In contrast, Google Assistant with Google Maps in our other EV works nearly every time using a variety of ways to specify a destination.

I'm thinking that if Android Auto becomes available, it will eliminate a lot of the aggravation I feel when using the Air's software. The rest of it I can deal with, to be able to drive a really great car.

How about you?

I'm with @hydbob on this. Now that I have AA in the car with the Carlinkit, I can use Google Maps or Here as I want. I've had better luck with HERE maps than most, but it's nice to have a choice. I have a garage remote in the car, so no Homelink needed. (I know it's old school, but it was already working and Homelink was taking more time to program than I wanted to spend on it.) The only thing I'd really like the software to do that it doesn't is let me adjust what speed the parking views turn off automatically, so I can lower it to 10 instead of 15. Honestly, that's the only time I get annoyed at the car. So if that is my biggest complaint about the way the car works, you can see I'm pretty happy with it just as it is now.

 

[Lucid510]

I'm a man of simplicity - Android Auto

 

[hydbob]

I'm a man of simplicity - Android Auto

Just use a Carlinkit, but now that Fall is coming soon, you can wait!

 

[Buffalo Bob]

I assume, perhaps incorrectly, that you are strictly asking about what features I want that Android Auto will bring to the table. For me, Google Maps will be the big number one for local travel, followed way behind by the ability to play other music sources, such as Pandora. That's it.

 

[HC_79]

I have an iPhone and avoid CarPlay like the plague. My opinion which is no doubt strongly disagreed with on here but, I think it has no place being on a $70K plus car when cars at that premium “should” be delivering a solid software experience. It’s got a user interface that is outdated and looks like a 3 year old designed it with their new set of crayons.

The main reason for buying into the Lucid hype was its promise of OTA’s and features being added over time. Sadly, it seems the OTA’s have been mainly to fix Lucid’s mess vs evolving the software like Tesla & Rivian have done and continue to do. Some variant of UX3.0 should have been introduced to the Air by now.

I’ve also been a native user interface person though as I’m all about the car software is most likely to have the best integration with the cars computer systems / stats which for EV’s is extremely important when it comes to navigation monitoring the SoC and knowing when and where to program charging stops etc.

I liked the Audi MMI in the ICE vehicles. Integrated into the HUD and Virtual Cockpit well (CarPlay didn’t do that) but when I got the e-Tron they basically just slapped the ICE software onto an EV and it was shite. That’s when I jumped ship and moved to Lucid because I didn’t want a California Camry aka Tesla.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I think the Rivian strategy is more suited to me as an owner vs Lucid. Rivian is following the Tesla playbook which I thought Lucid would do but they’re clearly not. Hence my hesitation about getting a Gravity and jumping ship to Rivian.

Like I said, I’m a native user interface type of guy in my cars, software is important and don’t want some janky add on from Apple or Google to compensate for poorly integrated software on a car.

I do believe I’m an outlier though as many are happy with just using CarPlay.

 

[segbrk]

My opinion which is no doubt strongly disagreed with on here but, I think it has no place being on a $70K plus car when cars at that premium “should” be delivering a solid software experience.

Yeah, I couldn't disagree more. Not trying to convince you at all, just wanted to respond to this.

I don't ever want to buy a car that attempts to deliver a solid fully featured software experience, because it's going to fail. I think it's short sighted and silly that people keep integrating technology deeply into their houses, and I think this isn't much different. It's a tired mantra, but the best tools/products are the ones that "do one thing and do it well." The best cars are the ones that are really good cars.

Looking back at cars from the 2000s, most of them look so dated. I'd be constantly annoyed sitting in them staring at their ugly old computer screens. I would know, I just moved from one of those to a Lucid. Looking back just a few years further, they just have gauges and knobs that still look great.

If you deeply integrate a tablet into the car running some software, even if it's great (which it probably won't be), in 5 years it's probably going to look embarrassingly bad. If you just stick a screen in there and let the computer in my pocket, which is already loaded up with all of my navigation destinations, music preferences, etc., it will look stupid in 5 years... so I'll get a new pocket computer. Suddenly the car doesn't look like a relic. Hell, if it's just a screen and a standardized data hookup for all that juicy EV data, maybe aftermarket screens with higher resolutions or whatever we care about in 5 years will pop up.

The infotainment computer doesn't need to be so deeply integrated. It's just a tablet, with some extra data provided by the car. CarPlay and Android Auto even have the ability to take that data from certain cars already. I hate this trend that Tesla started, and it's the biggest reason why I refuse to get a Rivian as well. They could have the greatest software ever, but it's not going to be maintained forever, and it's not software I choose. Maybe it has the ability to log into my accounts to sync nav destinations and whatnot, I don't know, but there's no way I'm going to trust or use that even if it can.

This all applies to cars that ship a more full-featured Android Automotive as well. You're not going to get updates to that for long, I imagine. And then things are going to start breaking. What do you do when Google deprecates the version of the Maps API your car is using? I'm sure that's not a concern for everyone, many here go through cars at close to the same rate as smartphones. Nothing against that, but I'll find it really sad if in 30+ years, there are no more interesting classic cars, because we started making them disposable.

 

[DeaneG]

Just use a Carlinkit, but now that Fall is coming soon, you can wait!

Yes, I'll wait. A bridge app like AA is enough of a kludge without adding a Carlinkit to bridge the bridge.

 

[DeaneG]

I assume, perhaps incorrectly, that you are strictly asking about what features I want that Android Auto will bring to the table. For me, Google Maps will be the big number one for local travel, followed way behind by the ability to play other music sources, such as Pandora. That's it.

Actually, I was trying to ask - if you had access to AA, would you be basically OK with the Air's software as it currently is?

 

[joec]

Yeah, I couldn't disagree more. Not trying to convince you at all, just wanted to respond to this.

I don't ever want to buy a car that attempts to deliver a solid fully featured software experience, because it's going to fail. I think it's short sighted and silly that people keep integrating technology deeply into their houses, and I think this isn't much different. It's a tired mantra, but the best tools/products are the ones that "do one thing and do it well." The best cars are the ones that are really good cars.

Looking back at cars from the 2000s, most of them look so dated. I'd be constantly annoyed sitting in them staring at their ugly old computer screens. I would know, I just moved from one of those to a Lucid. Looking back just a few years further, they just have gauges and knobs that still look great.

If you deeply integrate a tablet into the car running some software, even if it's great (which it probably won't be), in 5 years it's probably going to look embarrassingly bad. If you just stick a screen in there and let the computer in my pocket, which is already loaded up with all of my navigation destinations, music preferences, etc., it will look stupid in 5 years... so I'll get a new pocket computer. Suddenly the car doesn't look like a relic. Hell, if it's just a screen and a standardized data hookup for all that juicy EV data, maybe aftermarket screens with higher resolutions or whatever we care about in 5 years will pop up.

The infotainment computer doesn't need to be so deeply integrated. It's just a tablet, with some extra data provided by the car. CarPlay and Android Auto even have the ability to take that data from certain cars already. I hate this trend that Tesla started, and it's the biggest reason why I refuse to get a Rivian as well. They could have the greatest software ever, but it's not going to be maintained forever, and it's not software I choose. Maybe it has the ability to log into my accounts to sync nav destinations and whatnot, I don't know, but there's no way I'm going to trust or use that even if it can.

This all applies to cars that ship a more full-featured Android Automotive as well. You're not going to get updates to that for long, I imagine. And then things are going to start breaking. What do you do when Google deprecates the version of the Maps API your car is using? I'm sure that's not a concern for everyone, many here go through cars at close to the same rate as smartphones. Nothing against that, but I'll find it really sad if in 30+ years, there are no more interesting classic cars, because we started making them disposable.

This, 1000%

 

[joec]

No computer is more integrated into your life than your phone. When I'm driving, I want my car to know as much about me as my phone does. Carplay/Android Auto is always going to be the best way to make this happen.

Half way though a podcast? Just hop into the car, press play, and it continues right where you left off. Have an appointment to get to? Carplay presents directions the second you sit down. Phone call while driving? Park, open the door, walk away, and continue the conversation with your phone as it swaps over the audio source to your earbuds.

Synchonizing two computers is all well and good, but it's never going to be flawless. That contact you added five minutes ago on your phone might not have made it to the car yet. But when your phone is the single source of truth, you never have to worry about that.

And like @segbrk says, when you get a new phone, it's like getting a whole new computer in your car.

I have a 1998 Porsche, and the only two mods I made to it were swapping out the head unit for one that supports CarPlay, and front and rear parking cams. With those two small changes, a 26-year old car feels as modern as anything I could buy today.

 

[DeaneG]

...If you just stick a screen in there and let the computer in my pocket, which is already loaded up with all of my navigation destinations, music preferences, etc., it will look stupid in 5 years...

This all applies to cars that ship a more full-featured Android Automotive as well. You're not going to get updates to that for long, I imagine. And then things are going to start breaking. What do you do when Google deprecates the version of the Maps API your car is using?...

I think the screen size and physical integration on current EVs have already begun to age, but their basic functionality less so.

The center screen and CPU on our XC40 EV date from the original XC40's introduction in 2017. They are dated in appearance and speed. But our car was just OTA updated to AAOS v13 a month ago. Google's own native Maps app, and the couple dozen third party apps we've installed, also receive frequent OTA updates. The vehicle manufacturer maintains automotive hardware drivers with API connections to AAOS. It doesn't have to interface with the APIs of apps the user has chosen to install.

The goal of AAOS is that it functions just like your mobile device and enjoys the same overall cloud sync. In use, it's very similar to having another mobile phone, but one that drives. The car is already "...loaded up with all of my navigation destinations, music preferences, etc" as would be a second phone, tablet, etc.

I imagine the user's perspective on this would be heavily determined by which ecosystem they already use - Google's or Apple's. For me, logging my AAOS car into my Google account is no different than logging in a new phone, tablet or laptop. An iOS user may be similarly comfortable logging their iCar into their iCloud account.

 

[DeaneG]

No computer is more integrated into your life than your phone. When I'm driving, I want my car to know as much about me as my phone does. Carplay/Android Auto is always going to be the best way to make this happen....

My AAOS car does sync my podcasts, contacts, etc, as does my laptop, desktop, smart TV, voice interactions with Google Home devices, etc. It happens pretty quickly. I believe I understand your perspective though. My digital life is spread out over many devices, and they all communicate. The phone is best at some things, desktop at others, the car at others.

I have used AA and AAOS/GAS extensively for years, and AAOS/GAS is a much better daily driving experience overall.

 

[RockSports]

I have an iPhone and avoid CarPlay like the plague. My opinion which is no doubt strongly disagreed with on here but, I think it has no place being on a $70K plus car when cars at that premium “should” be delivering a solid software experience. It’s got a user interface that is outdated and looks like a 3 year old designed it with their new set of crayons.

The main reason for buying into the Lucid hype was its promise of OTA’s and features being added over time. Sadly, it seems the OTA’s have been mainly to fix Lucid’s mess vs evolving the software like Tesla & Rivian have done and continue to do. Some variant of UX3.0 should have been introduced to the Air by now.

I’ve also been a native user interface person though as I’m all about the car software is most likely to have the best integration with the cars computer systems / stats which for EV’s is extremely important when it comes to navigation monitoring the SoC and knowing when and where to program charging stops etc.

I liked the Audi MMI in the ICE vehicles. Integrated into the HUD and Virtual Cockpit well (CarPlay didn’t do that) but when I got the e-Tron they basically just slapped the ICE software onto an EV and it was shite. That’s when I jumped ship and moved to Lucid because I didn’t want a California Camry aka Tesla.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I think the Rivian strategy is more suited to me as an owner vs Lucid. Rivian is following the Tesla playbook which I thought Lucid would do but they’re clearly not. Hence my hesitation about getting a Gravity and jumping ship to Rivian.

Like I said, I’m a native user interface type of guy in my cars, software is important and don’t want some janky add on from Apple or Google to compensate for poorly integrated software on a car.

I do believe I’m an outlier though as many are happy with just using CarPlay.

The best part about this comment, although I 100% agree with you, is all the people on the Rivian forums who constantly whine about not having CarPlay. I've had it in a few cars now, and I think your line about "some janky add-on to compensate for poorly integrated software" is spot on. CarPlay works far less well on my wife's BMW than the native system does on my Rivian, in ALL aspects outside of text messaging which is a feature I find cumbersome and of diminishing utility anyways. It's great for a simple reply but the voice activation just shows that a phone call is still best practice to exchange information while driving and Rivian's implementation there is perfectly fine.

 

[pyle112]

My 2c as an android user since my Motorola droid:
1) AA but optimized for shape of display
2) mobile key needs to work 100% of the time. I know I can use the key fob, but the lucid fob is a piece of unattractive plastic- they expect us to use mobile key.
3) improve the app functionality- no trip log, no way to open the trunk etc.
4) allow 2 way communication with AA for ev planning purposes

 

[Buffalo Bob]

Actually, I was trying to ask - if you had access to AA, would you be basically OK with the Air's software as it currently is?

In that case... Other than still wanting the promise of DDP, my personal circumstances are such that I could live with the Air's software as is, but I am sensitive to owner issues with HomeLink, and access issues between the app and fob. To be clear, it would be a pretty marginal situation for a luxury car, but given the car's other positive attributes, I could live with it.

 

[Cosmo Cruz]

So people want video games. ... driving an actual car is not so important.
Pixel 8 here. (retired chemist = not adverse to science / technology )

I have garage door opener on my sun visor because it's a mechanical switch that always works first time,
and I know where it is without taking my eyes off the road.

there is no "close the door" software feature in the Lucid that I can access.
(I gave up after each attempt requires 7 or more "presses" just to get to the menu ).

Anytime I can avoid software or digital I take it.

Something about my body will not make digital switches work....I press, press harder, press lightly, wet my fingertip, press longer, press shorter, press faster or slower, press multiple times, pound on the screen with my fists.
Nothing. How do you folk make touch screens work?

What exactly is the nature of touch-screen digital switches? How do they work? Do the "sense the Aura" of the user?

If I dug up a grave and got a hand or finger, would that make touch-screens work for me?

Completely serious. I can't even make a digital ATM work. I only go to the ones with mechanical buttons.

 

[DeaneG]

So people want video games. ... driving an actual car is not so important...

What exactly is the nature of touch-screen digital switches? How do they work? Do the "sense the Aura" of the user?

If I dug up a grave and got a hand or finger, would that make touch-screens work for me?

Newer screens are all capacitive. They don't always respond well to dry skin. A dead finger, if moist, would work fine.

I haven't played a video game in 35 years. I have no interest in having video games in the car. We do however take long road trips to out-of-the-way places. Places without addresses, just a name, sometimes a distance from a paved road. Lucid's nav is abysmal at this. I need better.