We already know what's happening. Polestar 3 is being built in South Carolina while Polestar 4 is being built in South Korea. Meanwhile Toyota can't export any of it's EV's besides the BZ4X because the rest are all made in China.

 

@Motorola Here's someone in the UK who received their P4, I haven't gone through the whole thread, but it looks like the biggest complaint is software:

https://www.polestar-forum.com/threa...15097/#replies

 

Kris Rifa had a P4 on loan to him for a week and was experiencing phantom braking with the adaptive cruise.


Given all the software delays and drama with Volvo/Polestar in launching their EV's I'm not surprised that it's been a mess so far. What's really embarrassing about all this is that the P4 was launched over a year ago in China and yet it's still a beta product. I believe this is because Polestar, for whatever insane reason, decided to give the Chinese and international versions of the car completely different software.

 

Pretty sad

 

Does Polestar use a Google OS in other areas, like the US?

 

They do in Europe and Australia. In China I don't think it's allowed, I remember a Chinese owner on the Polestar forum in 2022 tell us Google Automotive wasn't installed on his infotainment screen

 

Then that's the reason. Cell phones are banned from running Google in China.

 

Android Automotive isn't banned in China and the Polestar 2 uses it there as well. It was only recently that Polestar decided to make their own proprietary operating system for Chinese cars. In fact most car OS's in China are based on Android.



Polestar just wants to be the smart guy that wastes a boatload of money on two completely different operating systems for the same car in different markets, I guess.

 

Anything Android is on its way out in China. That's just a fact. You will see BYD getting away from it, if they haven't already. It's all political.

 

Not really. China banned Google in 2010, but never banned Android as an operating system which is still used by Chinese OEM's well over a decade later. What Polestar is doing here has nothing to do with the government as they're merely utilizing their new in-house team in China they just bought to make their own propriety operating system that caters to the tastes of the Chinese market.

 

They're doing that for the obvious reason, which is the old OS was not compatible with their smartphones. It makes sense, doesn't it?

 

You're going to need to provide a source on that as no other automaker is doing what Polestar is doing offering separate OS in China vs. international, not even Chinese companies like BYD. They offer different apps depending on the county but all use the same operating system.

Also, from what I've seen it appears that other new Polestar products like the 3 are still using Android Automotive even in China. So this dual OS issue appears to be specific only to the Polestar 4.

EDIT: Yup, P3 uses Android Automotive both in Chinese and US models. The 4 is even more of a headscratcher now.

 

Your "new joint venture" text wasn't backed with a link, so I searched myself and found this:

"The joint venture will develop Xingji Meizu's existing technology platform, Flyme Auto, into a seamless operating system for Polestar cars sold in China, including in-car apps, streaming services, and intelligent vehicle software. This will be complemented by mobile and augmented reality devices and customer apps, creating a seamless digital ecosystem. Polestar expects to transfer around 130 commercial staff in China to the new company, which will be the sole authorised Polestar sales and service entity in China."
Polestar Enters Into Strategic Joint Venture to Accelerate Growth in China

It's a year old, so timing seems right.

 

I already linked to it in my post prior to that. That being said, making something to cater to user taste in the Chinese market is very different from being forced to do so by political pressure or inability to synch phones as you claimed. Not to mention that the only Polestar product to use this China-only OS is the P4, while the rest like the P2 and P3 still use Android Automotive in China, despite the 3 being a newer vehicle than the 4.

The only reason I can think of as to why only the P4 uses this Chinese-specific OS is because the car it's based on is a Zeekr developed by Geely, not originally a Volvo product like the rest of the Polestar lineup.

 

Give it time.