The Polestar 2 was the first production model to use Android Automotive OS.
Polestar developed the fastback electric car with Google’s Android Automotive OS built into its infotainment system. Unlike Android Auto, which mirrors selected phone functions onto a car screen, Android Automotive runs as the vehicle’s native operating system and can control integrated features through approved applications.
Polestar introduced the Polestar 2 in 2019, and customer deliveries began in 2020. Its system included Google Maps, Google Assistant, and access to the Google Play Store, making it one of the first cars designed around a major smartphone-platform company’s embedded software.
The Polestar 2 is closely related to the Volvo XC40 and shares the Compact Modular Architecture family, but its software was a significant distinction. The later Volvo XC40 Recharge also adopted Android Automotive, which is why the two vehicles are sometimes confused in this context.