Volvo has rolled out its most extensive over-the-air software update to date, which impacts millions of drivers around the world.
The update, which introduces the new Volvo Car UX user experience system, impacts more than 2.5 million cars in 85 countries.
Models affected include cars built from 2020, such as the C40, XC40, S60, V60, V60 Cross Country, XC60, S90, V90, V90 Cross Country and XC90, plus the all-electric EX40 and EC40.
Volvo says the update ushers in a more user-friendly experience with snappier load times, reduced screen taps and improved intuitiveness.
“This update is one of the largest over-the-air updates in automotive history, leveraging years of investment in Volvo Cars’ tech stack to improve life with their cars for millions of people,” said Anders Bell, chief engineering and technology officer at Volvo Cars.
“Our new user experience delivers significant updates and improvements in areas most used by drivers, and directly addresses the needs and desires of our customers.”
The update applies to models equipped with Volvo’s Android Auto-based operating system and is said to give quicker access to the driver’s most used functions.
With a refreshed, more modern look, the new layout features easier, more prominent navigation and includes many upgrades based on real-world research and customer feedback.
The most significant alteration is the on-screen content, which now features the most frequently used apps and controls - like phone, media, and maps - directly on the home screen.
Volvo says this integration eliminates the need for users to exit an application, such as Google Maps, when following navigation, in order to access a different function, like the media player to change music.
The contextual bar dynamically adapts to the driving situation, altering the displayed content and showing the most recently used applications. For instance, when travelling at low speeds, an icon for the external cameras appears, assisting the driver with tight-space manoeuvring.
Plug-in hybrid drivers receive their own bespoke benefits, with easier access to certain driving modes. The ‘Pure’ mode is now accessed directly through the home screen’s ‘drive mode’s menu, which Volvo says is completed through a single tap of the screen.
The update is free for drivers of cars built after 2020, but other customers with a Google-based system can purchase the feature.
Another update will arrive this year, too. Volvo will introduce Google Geminii to the same eligible models in the Spring.
