Polestar’s latest over-the-air (OTA) update adds a full-blown sonic experience meticulously shaped by Abbey Road’s own audio engineers, and it’s exclusive to Polestar 3s fitted with the Bowers & Wilkins sound system.

Dubbed the Abbey Road Studios Mode, this update introduces four distinctive sound presets — Intimate, Open, Energised, and Expansive. Each one is a tribute to different spaces and sonic characteristics found within the studio’s hallowed halls.

Intimate simulates the warmth and proximity of sitting right beside the mixing desk. It’s like being that fly on the wall during a late-night jam session.

Open moves the stage into the live room. Here, you’re in the middle of it all, as though the band is playing around you, not to you. It’s raw and captures that elusive magic of music-in-the-making.

Energised brings the punch, inspired by the kinetic vibes of a studio mid-session. Vivid detail, vintage warmth, and that unmistakable crackle of a ‘first take’ energy.

Finally, there’s Expansive. This one’s rich in spatial depth, with cinematic clarity that practically lifts the roof off the cabin. It’s a love letter to live room ambience, tailored for goosebumps.

And if those don’t suit your mood, there’s Producer Mode, where you take the reins. You get to sculpt the sonic atmosphere yourself, altering tonal balance and space using controls inspired by Abbey Road’s own hardware and mixing traditions.

Polestar CEO Michael Lohscheller doesn’t mince words: “This new Abbey Road Studios Mode takes it to another level. You’d swear you were right there in the legendary London building, not driving a performance SUV.”

And he’s not wrong. With 25 speakers, Dolby Atmos, 3D surround sound, and a 1,610-watt amplifier at its disposal, the Bowers & Wilkins setup in the Polestar 3 is already the stuff of audiophile dreams.

And for those with a thing for visual detail, each preset comes with a unique, high-definition image from Abbey Road’s archives, displayed on the Polestar’s 14.5-inch infotainment screen.

Sally Davies, Abbey Road’s MD, called it a proud milestone, noting how it marks the studio’s first foray into shaping an automotive sound experience. “The partnership continues our collaboration with Bowers & Wilkins, and extends our expansion into automotive audio,” she said.

Dan Shepherd, VP of Licensing and Partnerships at Bowers & Wilkins, echoed the sentiment: “We’ve succeeded in our aim to bring to life the distinctive characteristics of the studio experience.”

Perhaps the most remarkable thing is that this is just a free software update straight to your car. Alongside Abbey Road Studios Mode, the latest OTA update also bundles in Stolen Vehicle Tracking and a Smart Schedule for charging.

If the Polestar 3 was already a Swedish sculpture on wheels, it now sings — literally.

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This is a full-on software enhancement designed to elevate the Seal experience, from intelligent navigation tweaks to in-car gaming and even voice assistant upgrades for Southeast Asia’s multi-lingual charm.

Navigation System That Thinks Ahead

Long-distance EV drivers, rejoice. The OTA brings a new EV Trip Charging Planner to your navigation system. It estimates your remaining charge, plots dynamic charging stops, and ensures you’re never caught short, especially helpful if you’re crossing borders or heading into less urban areas.

You can even customise how conservative or adventurous it gets with your remaining battery margin.

New Features

• A customisable bottom navigation bar now lets you arrange your most-used controls like your personal desktop.
• Lane Departure Assist and Auto Power On/Off can now be toggled directly from the convenience bar.
• You can now adjust your vehicle’s prompt tone across three levels of volume.
• The Hi BYD voice assistant has learned a few new languages, including Malaysian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and Indian-English, for drivers across the region.
• New apps can now be accessed – YouTube, Zoom, Calm Radio.

BYD Arcade

The BYD Arcade app brings a suite of mini-games right to your infotainment screen. From puzzles like Black Hole to casual time-wasters like Packa Bunchas, it’s the kind of thoughtful addition to keep you entertained while you charge.

Auto Power Modes

Imagine a car that powers on the moment you open the door and starts rolling the minute you brake and shift to drive. That’s what the new Auto Power On/Off feature does. And when you leave? Just lock it, and it shuts down for you. No buttons, no fuss.

So if you’re a BYD Seal owner, consider this your digital pit stop.

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Just like that, a new icon appears on the screens of vehicles equipped with the next-generation ERP 2.0 On-Board Units (OBU) across Singapore that addresses one of the most common complaints about the controversial new device that will be fitted into all new cars registered from May 1 onwards.

The latest update sees a new icon that enables the driver to disable the Cashcard remotely instead of having to awkwardly reach over to remove it in situations such as using a complimentary parking coupon to exit a car park, for example. Upon exiting, simply press the icon once more and the Cashcard is active once again.

AutoApp tested this feature in a Lexus ES 250 that was fitted with an OBU. For some reason, the card reader has to be located right under the dashboard on the front passenger side instead of the central tunnel as tested in the previous article.

This makes it impossible for this 1.8-metre-tall driver to physically remove the Cashcard without having to lie across the centre console. The remote button solution addresses one of the most common complaints from the public about the functionality of the new OBU.

OBU card reader installation options

Another move in response to public feedback is the option to mount the OBU card reader in two more possible locations on the driver’s side as well. These include installing the card reader beneath the driver’s seat or beneath the dashboard on the driver’s side.

In the interest of safety, installation on the driver’s side, however, requires additional screws that are drilled into the dashboard to ensure that the card does not accidentally fall onto the driver’s feet while the vehicle is being driven. The other criteria is that the car reader installation locations must not interfere with the adjustment range of the driver’s seat.

So, this new Card Payment button should go some way to alleviate the installation dilemmas that many car owners are facing.

The OBU is capable of receiving Over-The-Air updates

The addition of the new Card Payment button also shows that the new OBUs are able to automatically receive Over-The-Air (OTA) updates to install new functionalities. AutoApp understands that in time, more new features will be introduced.

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