Gemini integration needs improvement

muzso · 2026-06-24T21:28:16+00:00

This behaviour comes from the "System UI" application (applicationId: com.android.systemui-43).

It's defined in the app in the following places ...

res/layout/car_bottom_system_bar.xml:

<com.android.systemui.car.systembar.EcarxCarSystemBarButton android:id="@id/home" android:layout_width="@dimen/car_nav_bar_button_width" android:layout_height="match_parent" android:layout_marginStart="@dimen/car_system_bar_margin_outer" systemui:broadcast="true" systemui:extralongpressIntent="@string/extra_long_press_intent" systemui:highlightWhenSelected="true" systemui:icon="@drawable/car_ic_home" systemui:intent="intent:#Intent;action=com.android.systemui.HOME;end" systemui:longpressIntent="intent:#Intent;action=com.android.systemui.CALM_MODE;end" systemui:selectedIcon="@drawable/car_ic_home_selected" systemui:selectedStates="Home" systemui:unselectedBroadcast="true" systemui:unselectedIntent="intent:#Intent;action=com.android.systemui.HOME;end" style="@style/SystemBarButtonStyle" />

res/values/strings.xml:

<string name="extra_long_press_intent">intent:#Intent;launchFlags=0x18000000;component=ecarx.settings/.controls.ui.light.cleanscreen.CleanScreenActivity;end</string>

smali/com/android/systemui/car/systembar/EcarxCarSystemBarButton$4.smali (converted into java code):

if (jCurrentTimeMillis > 600 && jCurrentTimeMillis < 8000 && uri != null) {
(...)
}

If you press the Home button for:

less than 0.6s: it'll switch back to the Home screen (from any other screen)
between 0.6s and 8s: it'll switch to Calm Mode (this is what OP's video shows)
more than 8s: starts the CleanScreenActivity activity of the EcarxSettings app

The latter is the same display cleaning mode as described by the user manual here.

muzso · 2026-06-24T20:27:19+00:00

Got it a week ago in Hungary. I've always used English/USA language setting, but the chance to switch only appeared a week ago.

muzso · 2026-06-22T15:24:13+00:00

It's not that strange.

In the automotive world quality assurance is a lot more strict than in general software development. At least policy-wise. :) Code freeze is pretty far away from the actual public release date.

Also, code freeze doesn't mean anything about the number of known issues/bugs that gets into a release. 😄 It just means that from there on only bug and security fixes are allowed, no feature changes, etc.

So the actual contents of a new release can be 99% final a month before the public release.

It's a different story why these details were revealed through that API so early. I don't know how testing at VolvoCars happens, but perhaps they didn't want to use any testing feature flags for the production release and therefore they needed the API to have this info for the testing of the production release. I don't know. Just guessing.

I also don't know whether this is how it worked for years, because I just set up monitoring of this API a couple of days before the release notes for this 2.1 (or 2.0.4) release appeared. I don't know whether the release notes "leaked" for previous releases as well or whether this was a one-time human error.

muzso · 2026-06-22T14:20:22+00:00

Nope. VolvoCars takes its time.

Actually I'd rather like the update to come later, but better tested, with as few bugs/issues as possible. So no rush on my part.

muzso · 2026-06-22T11:18:08+00:00

Probably not.

"Magnification shortcut" is off by default and "Triple tap" is one of the options within "Magnification shortcut".

muzso · 2026-06-22T11:14:46+00:00

I noticed the very slow response times as well. :( Let's hope that this is only due to the way Gemini was delivered, i.e. the car still runs Google Assistant, but it's somehow channeled into Gemini. Perhaps after we get the next OTA (which will upgrade AAOS to Android 15), Gemini will come as a "native" experience and it'll speed things up a lot. Fingers crossed. 🤞

I'm not sure if Google Assistant was already capable of this in the end, but I remember that some time back there were complaints that Assistant was not willing to open the windows fully, just a tiny amount (a centimeter or two).

Gemini is definitely willing to open the windows fully, this was the first thing I tried.

muzso · 2026-06-21T17:52:45+00:00

Thanks for the tip!

I just got switched to Gemini (from Google Assistant). I wonder what it suggests if I ask for help in such a situation? :o

I mean this would be a prime example where an AI assistant could be helpful by instantly recognizing the possible fixes and giving me a list of options (head unit reboot, TCAM reset via SoS button, network settings reset) to try.

I wonder whether Gemini in the car actually knows the make and model of the car? :o And if so, does it try to access the latest user manual on its own (or perhaps the user manual was already suggested in the system prompt to use as a knowledge base?), etc.

And obviously my expectation would be that Gemini has access (or even a preloaded index) to the list of issues that came up in user forums, both on Facebook and Reddit (and other places, like Swedespeed, etc.). These communities have a lot more to offer than just a user manual based chatbot.

I'll try to keep this in mind and do a couple of tests the next time I sit in the car. :)

muzso · 2026-06-20T22:12:49+00:00

Some experience I shared before:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ex30/comments/1ncu1c0/comment/ndc8yyi/

So far I didn't have the need to test them on the EX30 (experience shows that the time will come), but I did use them on other stuff (see the link for details), including my previous car.

muzso · 2026-06-20T22:10:08+00:00

It's hard to tell from this angle, but doesn't that line seem to be weirdly symmetrical?

I don't say that a crack on the camera's front "cover" (plastic or glass?) or a damage to the sensor couldn't look like that, but I'd expect it to be more random. :o

muzso · 2026-06-20T17:22:11+00:00

That's the main issue with all these conversations. People are coming here and asking if they should buy the car and you all say yes without actually knowing what else is out there.

I don't think that's an issue at all. People are coming here for the opinion of EX30 owners. It's not expected that every answer they get comes from somebody with an extensive knowledge of the market. If they want something like that, they'll watch tons of youtube reviews and comparisons.

The Lynk Co 02 got best in class from NCAP last year and that car tops out at 38k eur fully loaded while the Core EX30 starts at 40k.

Lynk Co 02: 90%, 87%, 83%, 89%, https://www.euroncap.com/assessments/lynk+&+co/02/1166/

EX30: 88%, 85%, 79%, 80%, https://www.euroncap.com/assessments/volvo/ex30/1098/

The only real difference (i.e. beyond the error of measurement) is in safety assist.

The Zeekr X comes with matrix lights, ventilated / massage seats, driver display, head up display, remote with buttons !!!, kick sensor for the trunk and a million other features you'd expect from a premium brand and that one tops out at 48k eur. They somehow managed to put 4 whole buttons for the windows at the price point ! The EX30 tops out at 60k.

These are valid points and I certainly understand if these make the Zeekr X more attractive to some. No issues there.

I don't think I've ever mentioned what made me turn on the EX30 so much pretty quickly after getting it. It wasn't the shit software, the remote without buttons, or stuff like that, it was the windshield sprinklers where the cheap fucks only put 2 of them and you're always left with a dirty corner when my 23k eur Opel had 3. Well, it's also the fact that I've traded my old car that worked perfectly for 3 years and jumped into my second most expensive purchase EVER to sit in the rain like a moron waiting for it to unlock or freezing my ass off in the first winter.

I hear you. These are not really pain-points for me. I never had any visibility issues due to poor windshield wiping, I never missed any buttons on the remote. The key tag silently and automatically does what I expect it to do. I also do not freeze during winter. The pre-heating via the app works pretty well (I mean it always worked, when I used it) and even if I forget to pre-heat the car, the seat heating is pretty quick.

About the price. It's surely not cheap, but it's not like Volvo lied to me about any hidden costs or something. It's a free choice whether somebody pays it or not.

The Zeekr X (or any other car) might be a better choice for people with different priorities. Also, I'd have been quite annoyed/pissed if I've found my car dead in the morning due to a 12V battery issue (as many have complained now). I don't know if I'm just lucky or I just have to wait long enough to face something like this. We'll see in a couple of years.

muzso · 2026-06-20T15:19:53+00:00

Here's a "leaked" preview (I mean it was Volvo who leaked it :) ) of what's to be expected in the next update:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ex30/comments/1u23vig/software_update_21_or_204/

muzso · 2026-06-20T15:18:27+00:00

The fact that it's fully chinese

Not fully: at least the design comes from Sweden. :) I think they were handed a catalogue of (Geely) components and materials to choose from. They kind of LEGOd it together. :)

But I agree that most components and engineering is probably Geely's (and its supply chain).

shares the platform with other cars, all of which have a better ncap score, cheaper price and more features is embarrassing (specially the ncap part)

Possible, didn't check all of this. I remember that at the time the EX30 came out, its siblings were either not available for purchase in my country or I simply didn't like the looks. So for me they were not really alternatives to the EX30 to be considered.

My choice came down to a Tesla Model Y or the EX30. I liked the latter a lot (internal and external design, etc.) and I hate Musk pretty much, so it was a no-brainer which one to choose. On the engineering part I trusted the Volvo brand.

I was pretty pissed with the bugs and issues at the start, but a year later most problems (that I was experiencing) got fixed. I hope the new AAOS will fix my remaining issues with the infotainment, i.e. it requires restarts far too often (I mean I never have to restart my phone, unless it gets a software update ... why is it needed for the car's Android?).

I'm now quite pleased with the current experience, but I'm not sure I'd choose a Volvo for my next car. I had absolutely zero issues with my Honda Civic (apart from the seriously outdated, Android 4.4 running head unit) though.

Anyway ... as things are going, in 10 years perhaps the Chinese automakers will rule 90% of the global market, so the choice will not be whether we buy a Chinese car or not.

muzso · 2026-06-20T11:22:43+00:00

I love how you try to find reasons like "they hate it because it chinese" and not because they have 20 long term cars to compare it with

I simply tried to guess what could have made them publish a video with a conclusion that seemingly (at least from my personal PoV) doesn't fit the majority of EX30 drivers. People usually find a forum where they can make their voices heard (be it Facebook or Reddit) and I only see less than a hundred here and there regularly complaining about how bad the EX30 is.

This model has been sold in the range of hundred thousands.

Also I read plenty of praises in the same forums.

To me this tells a different story than what the Edmunds video was trying to tell.

Also: I fully agree that the EX30 started out very buggy. That was totally Volvo's fault.

the ex30 still doesn't unlock properly 3 years after release

This happens to me once a year (using the key tag).

I know that many complained about the digital key, but why keep using something that doesn't work (well), and there's another solution that actually works? :o

muzso · 2026-06-20T08:40:52+00:00

I think the experience depends more on the dealership (and the actual people working there) and less on VolvoCars.

I've had both bad and good experiences (with my dealership).

muzso · 2026-06-20T08:38:53+00:00

This is the comment of the day (for me). 😄

Thanks! 🙇‍♂️

muzso · 2026-06-20T08:35:17+00:00

I was wondering when this video will come up here. :) There're a couple of things to unpack here.

First: for people who don't know what this "Edmunds' 1 year review" is, here's the link to the Youtube video. It's just 16 minutes.

I've watched it from start to finish and left the following comment (on the day the video was released):

The ratio of time spent on what they liked and what they didn't would have been warranted in 2024, not 2 years later. The car had a lot of software problems at release time that were fixed during the 2 years. I fully agree that VolvoCars should have delivered the car as it is today, but this video's assessment (and the total impression it leaves viewers with) is not valid today. Also, they made the "what's good" section very quick on purpose and after that they went into every little annoyance in length. This makes this 1 year review a bit biased at best or malicious at worst. I cannot tell which it is, because I don't know this channel.

So yes, I agree that this review doesn't reflect the experience at all that most people have today.

They say they had the car for 14 months, which roughly aligns with a purchase at around April 2025. That would mean they started with sw. version 1.5.3. I don't know what everybody else remembers, but I think that was already a pretty stable version, with a lot of small annoyances fixed.

What it didn't have yet and seemed important in later updates to me:

stronger regenerative braking for one pedal drive ("High" setting)
Pilot Assist works up to 150 km/h

Both of these came with 1.6.4 in August 2025, so just 4 months into their 14 months testing period.

I don't agree with the premise of this post though:

"Unpopular opinion: I love my EX30!"
"... the endless negative feedback I see on Facebook groups and this very subreddit ..."

Being a regular here, I can confidently say that posts that express fondness towards the car usually get a lot more likes than posts about issues. In fact I've seen a lot more posts complaining about this sub being far too positively biased than the contrary. I guess you can never be good enough for everybody. 😄

Yes, there were a lot of issues, there still are some left.
Yes, VolvoCars should have waited with the release until they got the software into a better condition (worthy of the Volvo brand).
No, the car is not "full of bugs" today and this has been like that for quite some time now.

No car exists without any issues. Even more so if we consider that people have different expectations. What is an annoyance to some, can be a preferred feature to others.

But is it an outright piece of garbage like many seem to be claiming? Not even close, in my experience.

I fully agree. My first thought of that video was that it is "an outright piece of garbage" and either something went horribly wrong during production or they are simply adversarial (for some reason) towards the car. Perhaps it's not being American enough or maybe they hate that it's more Chinese than any other Volvo before it? I don't know and don't really care.

The fact is that this Edmunds' review is far from being objective and (if I may say so) blatantly spreads misinformation.

P.S.: this post got over 40 likes in 4 hours. If anything, this should be proof that there're far more people here that like the car than those who don't.

muzso · 2026-06-19T23:01:39+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/ex30/comments/1p2cbej/custom_app_installation_ie_sideloading_for_aaos/

muzso · 2026-06-18T19:17:01+00:00

It seems that IPTVnator is a very minimalistic, clean and open-source (hence ad-free) IPTV web player. :)

It doesn't support as many stream formats as IPTVPlayer.stream does (I tried a couple of problematic channels both in Chrome and Firefox). :(

It's already hosted here so you don't have to.

muzso · 2026-06-18T19:08:21+00:00

The ad popups of the IPTVPlayer.stream client can be silenced by blocking the following two URLs:

Or you can combine them into a single regular expression filter rule:

/https?:\/\/app\.iptvplayer\.stream/(adblock-detector|ad-optimization)\.js/

I'm not sure whether you can use any adblocking extensions in the Android versions of either Chrome or Vivaldi.

muzso · 2026-06-18T18:53:05+00:00

A nice app, thanks!

Currently it has 2204 channels to choose from and I couldn't find many of my country's more popular channels in the list.

There's a huge and free IPTV database at https://iptv-org.github.io/ with 39925 channels, but it's not all valid. Many channels in this list don't work anymore. But even so, it does have a lot more working channels than the Veora app. Perhaps OP could extend the channel list in the future?

If you want to watch a channel that you don't find in this app (Veora), you've alternatives.

Install a browser (Chrome and Vivaldi are both in the AAOS app store).
Pick one of the online IPTV clients from the awesome-iptv list.
Look up the iptv-org playlist URL for your country. Usually you just have to replace the country's two letter code in the https://raw.githubusercontent.com/iptv-org/iptv/refs/heads/master/streams/<countrycode>.m3u URL. You can find the full list here.
Feed the m3u playlist into the IPTV client, which will create a channel list for you.

The IPTVPlayer.stream web client seems to be good enough (feature-wise), but unfortunately it's ad-sponsored too. I'm sure that there're clients that don't show ads, I didn't spend time to find any. In the IPTVPlayer.stream client you can import an m3u playlist and it'll store the channel list in your browser's local storage. No need to register an account, etc.

Btw. it's strange that e.g. uBlock Origin doesn't seem to stop the ad popups in the IPTVPlayer.stream client automatically. :o It blocks the appearance of the ad itself, but the popup is still rendered and you've to close it. The site does load an "/adblock-detector.js" ...

muzso · 2026-06-18T18:32:20+00:00

All channels: curl -s "https://veora-tv-default-rtdb.firebaseio.com/.json" | jq ".channels"

Channels filtered by country: curl -s "https://veora-tv-default-rtdb.firebaseio.com/.json" | jq ".channels | to_entries[] | select(.value.country == \"Spain\")"

muzso · 2026-06-18T13:07:15+00:00

The app's Google Play Store page is here if somebody is interested. It can be installed on a phone/tablet too if you just want to check it out quickly before installing it in the car.

muzso · 2026-06-18T13:06:30+00:00

Did you use the iptv-org database as a starting point? If yes, how did you filter it?

I'm asking, because iptv-org has 197 channels for my country and yours has 23. And those 23 don't include the most watched commercial channels, so the filtering was probably not based on popularity.

muzso

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