Can I use the car without google

aquavit · Feb 15, 2024

I'm close to buying an XC40, I like everything about the car apart from the google integration. I understand that the car comes with four years of "subscription package" which is tied to the Volvo Cars app and possibly also requires a google account.

I do not wish to have a google account nor do I wish to interact with google when driving the car, my preferred option would be Apple CarPlay. I understand that CarPlay is currently wired only but wireless may come. CarPlay 2.0 should provide more vehicle functionality and I understand Volvo are committed to running with CarPlay.

So, all of this considered, can I run the XC40 without having google in my life? If I can run Apple Maps, Music and Podcasts that's all I really need, with the proviso that added car functionality looks to be in the pipeline.

MB.XC · Feb 15, 2024

I certainly understand your concerns. I thought the same when getting the XC40 last December. Since then, I did accept having a minimum-info Google account just to use with this car. I think you need it to a) download apps from Google store, b) transfer routes from desktop to the car. I do use Google navigation most of the time for a simple reason – integration with battery and usage estimates. Only Google maps in the car will tell you the battery state on arrival, and assist in finding charging stations along the way. Apple maps unfortunately (but understandably) does not have access to some vehicle internal information. I use CarPlay (wired) for everything else like contacts and entertainment, and for shorter trip navigation. I pretty much hate the Google map display which makes it hard to distinguish a chosen route from multiple alternate routes which keep presenting themselves.

MildThing · Feb 15, 2024

Yes you can. I had exactly the same concerns before I picked up my MY24 XC40 in January.

Google Maps will work without you creating/adding a Google Account. As @MB.XC said, using Google Maps does give you useful information around battery estimates, locations of charge points and allowing you to plan charging stops on your route. The battery usage estimates were pretty accurate in my limited testing. If you choose to use Google Maps, you might want to head to the settings and change them from 'always share positional detail with Google' to 'only when a destination is set.' (I'm not near my car to be able to check exactly where the setting is location, or the exact wording, sorry)

I tend to use CarPlay/Apple Maps though, because I prefer their mapping; Google Maps I found difficult to use as their use of a similar colour for the active route to that used for motorways in the UK is confusing, especially when on the move.

Like @MB.XC, I created a new Google Account for the sole purpose of using it with the car. I did this so I could download additional apps from Google Play. But a few days after I added it, I started to get an error suggesting that I was too young to own a car! I tried to fix it, without success. I don't feel like I'm missing anything - there is not much in the way of apps available for the car on Google Play, that I can't get on my phone anyway, so I'll probably just delete the account soon.

aquavit · Feb 15, 2024

Thanks for the reply MildThing. I don't want to use google for anything, including their map app!

I know the car has an inbuilt SIM, does this mean that to use the Volvo Cars app I need a google account (which I don't and won't have)?

I don't want any interaction at all with google, not even to ask it to make adjustments to the temperature etc. so I'm wondering what functionality I will be left with if I operate solely on Apple CarPlay? If it's just the basics I can live with that in the knowledge that improved capability is coming with CarPlay 2.0.

MildThing · Feb 15, 2024

does this mean that to use the Volvo Cars app I need a google account (which I don't and won't have)?

The Volvo Cars app uses a "Volvo Account" which you create on Volvo's web site, not a Google Account.

MildThing · Feb 15, 2024

I don't want any interaction at all with google, not even to ask it to make adjustments to the temperature etc. so I'm wondering what functionality I will be left with if I operate solely on Apple CarPlay?

I primarily use Car Play for music, podcasts, route planning etc. But fundamentally, Volvo have built the cars capabilities on top of Google's operating system and you can't switch that off. For example, the centre console offers access to the radio, audio volume, cruise control settings, lane-keeping aid configuration, cabin temperature etc. So, when I adjust the cabin temperature or adjust the audio volume I am always interacting with the Google operating system at some level.

There are, however, separate data privacy settings for data that is transfered to Volvo and/or Google and you can configure them independently. And it is possible to switch off specific services should you be concerned over privacy; I have done this with googles voice command capability but it has not prevented me from using Siri when CarPlay is being used.

[ Edited to better answer the question ]

aquavit · Feb 15, 2024

Thanks again MildThing, this information is really helpful.

When you say "So, when I adjust the cabin temperature or adjust the audio volume I am always interacting with the Google operating system at some level." do you mean asking google assistant via voice control or dabbing the screen where google is working behind the scenes, so to speak?

MildThing · Feb 15, 2024

I mean by selecting things on screen, or using the physical buttons. Not via voice control/Google Assistant.

GRAF · Feb 15, 2024

Both. The car's essential software is Google's Android Auto OS. So, you'll be using s/w developed by Google's engineers overlayed by Volvo's implementation. You wont be sending the details of what temperature you're setting back to a Google server.

bogiesan · Feb 15, 2024

Don't buy the car! You're always going to resent the OS. Make google/android your main purchase decision and shop for other cars. Plenty of EVs in the premium niche that do not use software that you find abhorent. Heck, GM is creating their own. That ought to be interesting.

aquavit · Feb 15, 2024

LOL! You're right to a degree, if I couldn't work around/ignore it then it would be a deal breaker. If it just runs below the surface without bothering me, and I don't have to call out "hey google", then I think I can live with it.

It's difficult enough to find a car that meets most of our criteria, with ever diminishing options for us non-EV devotees, without the added hazard of google in my life

Edit to add: I recall reading somewhere that GM were also going down the google route??

darmok · Feb 15, 2024

aquavit said:
So, all of this considered, can I run the XC40 without having google in my life? If I can run Apple Maps, Music and Podcasts that's all I really need, with the proviso that added car functionality looks to be in the pipeline.

Generally: yes, you can. If you turn off vehicle SIM data, you can plug in your phone to CarPlay or use a wireless adapter (there's at least one that works). For the most part CarPlay is a seamless experience, though occasionally when using Apple Maps for navigation the projected CarPlay map view in the instrument cluster will freeze, and that feature doesn't work at all with the wireless adapter I'm using.

Basic car voice control commands work even without the car Internet connection, so while it claims to be Google Assistant clearly there is some amount of onboard voice processing and command recognition to allow these to work offline.

I have no idea if the Volvo Cars app or On Call features work when SIM data is disabled since I haven't tried those aspects. I do leave SIM data enabled even if I use CarPlay since I prefer to have the option to use Google Maps and to receive OTA update notifications.

gkb993 · Feb 16, 2024

When we purchased our XC40 ICE we had the option of waiting a few months for the new Google O/S XC40 or to take the last of the non-google XC40's loaded with everything at $5K less than the incoming Google model which due to chip shortages didn't have all the features we wanted.

It wasn't a hard decision to make. I try to limit my exposure to Google and unsolicited ads.

Can I use the car without google

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