Thoughts on Polestar 2 software 3.6.4 coming from 3.1.9
On June 18th, Polestar started pushing out their first over-the-air (OTA) update for the US in nearly a year. It was version 3.6.4 and by all accounts it was pushed out for the backup camera recall.
I previously had 3.1.9 so I was excited that there were many improvements that I’d be getting all at once!
Read the official Polestar 2 Software Update Release Notes.
Changes
Out of the complete release notes, below are the changes that interested me.
Improved behavior for Cruise Control and Adaptive Cruise Control
I only use Adaptive Cruise Control (why would you even use regular Cruise Control if you have Adaptive?) and “improved behavior” is always appreciated, but I didn’t notice any differences in a couple highways drives. Adaptive Cruise worked well before and continues to work well.
Improved driving experience at low speed (MY21-23).
Improving the driving experience always sounds beneficial, but I again haven’t really noticed a difference here. I don’t recall have any concerns with low speed driving and nothing seems to have changed that I could tell.
Introducing HD radio
I did notice that I can see HD radio stations now. But I use Apple Music with CarPlay for almost all music so I won’t really use this feature much. Even HD radio sounds much worse than using CarPlay. Plus, I also have SiriusXM, which may not sound much better but has far fewer ads.
Digital key improvements
As I wrote about in another post, I had been unable to get the app or the digital key to work with software 3.1.9, but it is working now with 3.6.4. I’ve already done a few trips without taking my keys and it is super-convenient.
Road Sign Information speed limit detection improvements, including greater accuracy at for example highway exit speed limits
I had noticed that some road signs were not recognized well (or at all) and so far with 3.6.4, it does seem to be slightly improved. It still misses an occasional sign, but it seems to be fewer than before.
Improvements to Lane Keeping Aid
I always found that Pilot Assist could get rather aggressive in construction zones, so much so that I would usually turn it off when approaching one. I’m not sure if the “Lane Keeping Aid improvements” helped with that, but on a recent trip, I felt that it navigated the construction zone I regularly go through much better than before.
General stability improvements
This generic release note is largely meaningless. I found 3.1.9 was reliable and I’ve not really noticed a difference with 3.6.4. Some people have reported that it is slower, particularly Google Maps, but I’ve not seen a change.
Parking Assist Improvements
The big reason for the update was to fix the “backup camera not available” issue that would crop up for some. I’ve never had that message and there are people reporting that they are still getting it after applying this update. Not really sure what’s going on with that, but if you are still having a backup camera problem after this update, you should report it directly to the NHTSA.
Android Auto
One big new feature was the addition of Android Auto. I don’t use an Android phone, so I have yet to set this up, but even though the car uses Android Automotive, it is good to see Android Auto so that people can access apps that are not available yet in Android Automotive (looking at you, Apple Music).
Overall, although there were a lot of improvements listed in the release notes, not many of them mattered to me or were noticeable to me.
Sound Improvements
One thing that many people are reporting as improved, but not listed on the release notes is the audio, specifically the bass. I really like the Harmon/Kardon sound system and think it sounds great. But as I wrote in my article about it:
However, for a system with two subwoofers it does not have nearly as much deep bass as you’d expect.
After the 3.6.4 update, the bass is much more pronounced and better matches expectations, I think. It has so much bass, that I had to significantly turn down both the bass and subwoofer levels in the Sound settings. Overall, I’d say things sound even better than they did before.
Anyway, I’m happy to have the update. The sound improvement is my favorite thing and now that the app and digital key are working, it feels like an even better car now!
If you’re considering a Polestar 2, my updated Used Polestar 2 Buying Guide eBook is now available in the Current Notes Shop.
Recall Letter
A few days after the update installed, I got the recall letter in the mail:
