Volvo, Qualcomm, and Google are working together to create an automotive infotainment system that is more like a smartphone than ever before. Volvo will bring the system to the upcoming Polestar 3 electric SUV. The SUV will be launched sometime this year after Volvo has released spy photos of the car.
Polestar 3 spy photo
Volvo's Polestar 2 was the first model to feature Google's Android Automotive OS in a car. Unlike running Android Auto or Apple CarPlay on a smartphone, Android Automotive OS has a custom version of Android pre-installed on a car as the primary in-car infotainment operating system. Polestar 2 uses an x86 chip (Intel Atom A3900), but now Volvo is pairing a Qualcomm smartphone chip with its Google smartphone operating system. The Polestar 3 will come with Qualcomm's Snapdragon Cockpit Platform Gen 3, and while that sounds unique, it's really just a repackaged smartphone chip with some extra features. Qualcomm said that the 3rd generation of automotive platforms is based on Snapdragon 820 chips. The Gen 3 has upgraded RF features such as WiFi 6, 5G, and newer Bluetooth, which are not available on the Snapdragon 820.
Volvo's promotional video gives us a glimpse into the interface design of the Polestar 3. Android Automotive OS, like Android on a phone, can be completely skinned by automakers. The Polestar 2 looks a lot like Volvo's old car system, but the Polestar 3's user interface looks more modern.
The Polestar 2 is equipped with an 11-inch touchscreen and cannot display maps and music at the same time. But screenshots show that polestar 3's interface can be a map and music at the same time, and users can immediately view and control everything. This screenshot alone shows google maps, media controls, range information, HVAC controls, and shortcuts like phones and Google Assistant.
The Polar Star 2 home screen can only display a single full-screen app
In addition, the Polestar 3 has a higher display, seems to lean more toward multitasking capabilities, and seems to support a "split screen" feature.