Volvo debuted a new infotainment system with the release of its flagship EV, the EX90. The heavily reworked interface, which is powered by Google, also comes in the smaller Volvo EX30 EV. But the infotainment system will not be exclusively for Volvo’s new cars, nor will it be available only to EV owners. Volvo is bringing the upgraded infotainment to the 2025 XC90 and porting it to existing models from as far back as 2020.
The Swedish carmaker will roll out a free over-the-air update this year that brings the new infotainment to late-model year Volvo cars with Google built-in. The models getting the upgrade officially include the Volvo C40, XC40, EX40, EC40, S60, V60, V60 Cross Country, XC60, S90, V90, V90 Cross Country and XC90—provided, of course, that these cars were natively fitted with Google or an Android operating system to begin with.
Volvo calls it “one of the most comprehensive infotainment updates by any car maker to date,” and goes on to claim that the OTA update will bring its newest infotainment system to about 2.5 million Volvo drivers around the world.
The update brings big changes to the interface aimed at reducing the number of taps needed to access frequently used features on-screen. No more toggling back and forth between apps to mess with navigation and music, for example. A shortcut to the phone app will now also permanently live on the home screen.
The 2025 Volvo XC90 got a bigger 11.2-inch free-standing center screen as part of its redesign, but the new infotainment system can be adapted and scaled to fit many different display orientations and sizes. This likely partially explains why the automaker is making the update available for millions of older vehicles.
It’s a welcome move on Volvo’s part that we can warily label as goodwill towards its customers. It’s similar to when phone makers like Apple and Samsung offer a minimum of a few years of guaranteed updates for their handsets, to prolong their usable life. Honda introduced a similar initiative not too long ago by making Wireless CarPlay available on last-gen Accords. The average car costs about 60 times more than a high-end smartphone, so these practices should really be more common in the car world.
Like it or not, cars are the next frontier for what could now be called a traditional computer experience—brought to you by the miracle of mobile operating systems. Big Tech moves at a blistering pace compared to Big Auto, so it’s nice to know that, in a few years’ time, your new(ish) Volvo won’t be left in the digital dust thanks to an outdated infotainment system.
Got tips? Send ’em to tips@thedrive.com