Over-the-air updates pass one million as Google Assistant-enabled actions launch in US
One million installations and counting: the rollout of over-the-air (OTA) updates to Volvo cars globally continues. Our latest update includes the ability to issue voice commands through Google Assistant-enabled devices allowing drivers to warm up their car and amongst other abilities in the US market, launching a wider introduction of our Care Key technology, bringing integrated connectivity in additional markets and various bug fixes and stability improvements.
Over-the-air updates are a key technology that help us deliver on our ambition to make our cars continuously better. They also cement our position as an industry leader when it comes to updating car software remotely. Updates over the air also mean you don’t have to visit a workshop anymore to get the latest software, which we think is rather convenient.
Our eleventh large OTA update is expected to reach 350,000 customer cars around the globe, the largest amount we ever covered in one single deployment. That takes the total number of over-the-air updates we delivered to over one million.
The total number of markets covered by the update has increased to 68, which constitutes more than half of all markets globally in which over 95 per cent of Volvo cars are sold. No less than 22 new markets have been added to the scope since our last OTA update.
“Thanks to over-the-air updates and our rapidly growing in-house software development, we can create and deploy new features as well as enhance the customer experience much quicker than before,” says Alwin Bakkenes, our head of software engineering.
“Hey Google, what’s included in this update?”
So what do our customers get in this latest update? In the US market, we’re rolling out Google Assistant controlled actions that allow seamless connectivity between your Google devices and your car. The functionality delivered in this OTA update includes actions like checking your battery or fuel levels, starting the climate control or to check on the charging status of your car and even start or end your charging session all through a ‘Hey Google’ command on your device. And just in time for the cold weather season, you can even command ‘Hey Google, warm up my car’ all without taking off your winter gloves.
“The launch of Google Assistant controlled actions is a demonstration of our commitment to providing our customers with a better car every day, adding more convenience and peace of mind,” says Alwin Bakkenes.
While this functionality is currently available only in the US, it is planned to expand to other markets in the near future. The list of available commands will continue to grow in the future, as well.
Also included in this update is the expansion of our Care Key technology into all OTA-compatible cars. Originally introduced in 2021, the Care Key allows you to easily limit the maximum speed on your car even further than the built-in limit.
Perfect when, for example, you want to lend your Volvo car to other family members or less experienced drivers. Thanks to the Care Key they can further hone their fledgling driving skills, while you can rest assured that they drive at a safer speed.
We’re introducing integrated connectivity in several European markets including Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Iceland. This provides customers with seamless connectivity, as their data plan now gets embedded into their car’s SIM card.
Another new feature is a good example of how we use customer feedback to improve our cars. Some customers asked us whether we could make it easier to remove a paired device from the infotainment system. With this latest software update, we’ve added a button to do so to the menu for pairing devices.
The software update also includes a variety of other upgrades and stability improvements, including upgrades to the Apple CarPlay integration and a fix for an unlocking issue that appeared during the previous software update.
Finally, for the first-time customers will also be able to see details for this OTA update (software version 2.5) in the Volvo Cars app. The software update details in the mobile app will be rolled out in a staggered manner, so check what applies for your specific market.
The small print
- The functionality of over-the-air updates is available on all Volvo car models with Google built-in.
- Availability of the features and services mentioned above may differ between markets.
- Google is a trademark of Google LLC.
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Volvo Cars in 2021
Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of 20.3 BSEK. Revenue in 2021 amounted to 282.0 BSEK, while global sales reached 698,700 cars.
About Volvo Car Group
Volvo Cars was founded in 1927. Today, it is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales to customers in more than 100 countries. Volvo Cars is listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange, where it is traded under the ticker “VOLCAR B”.
Volvo Cars aims to provide customers with the Freedom to Move in a personal, sustainable and safe way. This is reflected in its ambition to become a fully electric car maker by 2030 and in its commitment to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, with the ambition to be a climate-neutral company by 2040.
As of December 2021, Volvo Cars employed approximately 41,000 full-time employees. Volvo Cars' head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars' production plants are located in Gothenburg, Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu, Daqing and Taizhou (China). The company also has R&D and design centres in Gothenburg, Camarillo (US) and Shanghai (China).
For further information please contact:
Volvo Cars Media Relations
+46 31-59 65 25
Volvo Cars Investor Relations
+46 31-793 94 00