One of the claims automakers continually made as they began launching electric vehicles and hybrids was that, as these vehicles aged, they would be capable of adopting the latest technologies through over-the-air (OTA) updates, and one of the brands making the most noise in this department was Volvo. As it turns out, the Swedes are sticking to their promise, reports Autocar, with the company preparing to give cars from 2020 and later “one of the biggest over-the-air updates in the history of the world.” Cars like the XC40 Recharge, now called the EX40, will benefit from the new Volvo Car UX (user experience), just like in the EX30, the EX90, and the recently unveiled EX60.
Volvo’s Big Update Is Good News for Owners of Older Cars
Volvo
Essentially, this means that 2020 and newer Volvos will have almost identical displays and infotainment features as the latest cars, and this includes the new, more conversational Google Gemini AI-powered system, replacing the last-generation Google in-car assistant. Of course, your 2020 EX40 Recharge won’t have an identical infotainment system to an EX90 because of older silicon processing chips and smaller displays (so don’t necessarily expect the EX90’s Abbey Road Studios Mode), but it’ll still feel like being in a much newer car without any hardware changes. Volvo says that users will be able to “talk naturally to craft messages, translate them into another language before sending, ask questions from the car’s user manual, or learn specific details about your destination.” The automaker highlighted that this can help reduce distractions, allowing one to stay focused on driving. That’s on-brand for a company as obsessed with road safety as Volvo.
Volvo’s Big OTA Update for Older Cars Is Coming Soon
Volvo
As for when owners can expect to sample the upgrade, Volvo chief technology officer Anders Bell says the update is “in the final stages of testing validation,” so we can expect it to reach customers in the next few months. That is, of course, assuming that the update faces no further delays; Volvo intended to roll out the upgrade last year before pushing it back for further improvement. Whenever it arrives, it’s encouraging to see that Volvo is aiming to continually improve even older cars through remote updates, much like Tesla does, and while physical components can make such updates challenging, we hope Volvo is just the first of many to offer the latest tech in its older cars. After all, new cars are not cheap, and the longer one can keep their car without feeling the need to upgrade, the better for the environment, the customer’s bank balance, and the reputation of the brand selling the car in the first place.
