**We initially bought a 2022 XC60 Momentum about three weeks ago, however, it had nothing but problems and we returned it to the dealer and upgraded to this 2022 XC60 Inscription.

After about 10 days with our Canadian Volvo XC60 Inscription, here are my thoughts:

Vehicle fit and finish is superb. Drive is superb. Main issues all centre around the Google Automotive operating system. Until this morning, everything worked almost as it should. I asked it to take us to a local address, and after that, it lost its connection. After 45 minutes, the connection never came back.

Because it lost its connection, we had no access to TuneIn Radio, iHeartRadio, etc., however, SiriusXM was still functioning as it should. Having said that, if we ask it verbally to change to another SXM channel, it says SiriusXM is not installed. Of course, it is, as we can manually see it and touch the station we want.

iHeart Radio: For some reason, the iHeart Radio app is USA-centric. It pulls everything out of the American app, so doesn’t see Canadian stations, despite location services turned ON, and even our dealership acknowledging it is the American app. I have all these apps on my iPhone and my iPad, and they differ, inasmuch as the USA and Canadian versions. On my iOS devices, these apps are Canadian-centric, but in the vehicle they are definitely American.

Carrying on from that, Spotify also didn’t work once the Google OS lost its connection.

Amazon Music, of which I have an account with Amazon Prime here in Canada, seems to also look to the USA version of the app. It thinks I’m in Texas…

The more I have read about Google Automotive, the more I am convinced that both Volvo and Google are using us as beta testers. Frankly, I think this is unacceptable. Waiting for “updates” to have something work correctly in a vehicle of this calibre is poor.

If we had to do this purchase all over again, I’d probably pass on Volvo until version 1.0 has become at least version 2.0 and had its bugs worked out. In truth, we really like this Inscription, but I started out decades ago teaching DOS 1.0 for IBM (yes, I’m that old) and I feel like I’m back in 1985 using 51/4” floppy disks for the numbers of bugs we’re encountering. Having taught both Windows and Mac operating systems and programs over the decades, I never thought I’d be troubleshooting an operating system like this in 2021.

I wouldn’t recommend these Volvo vehicles using the Google OS at this point, but the vehicle itself is beautiful.

 

What happens when you use the data from your mobile hotspot instead? (either as Wifi hotspot or bluetooth internet sharing). If the apps work fine then we know issue is either with the data/network operator or the modem and not the Google automotive itself.

 

The WiFi hotspot didn’t work. Zilch. The system still isn’t working, some ten hours later.

 

Are you saying it doesn't connect to your wifi hotspot or it does but apps don't work still? Can you try internet through bluetooth functionality? Essentially try to use data from your phone/other source somehow.

 

There is no connectivity at all. No apps, no Wi-Fi, no maps… nada. The only thing that works is SiriusXM, manually only. Any voice control it replies with SiriusXM is not installed. Anything else it says it can’t connect. Up until this morning it worked fine.

it was a pleasure to get into our other vehicle tonight and have everything work as it should.

The bottom line is that this OS is not ready for prime time.

 

Did you try restarting the modem by holding the home/center button? (continue to hold it beyond the screen cleaning message). And you did not answer if you are able to connect to your phone hotspot or not or share internet through bluetooth. Obviously if the internet is not working none of the apps will work and thats the not app issue. I'm trying to help you troubleshoot if the source of the problem is the inbuilt data connection or something else.

Also can you tell the software version thats installed on your car?