Volvo has announced a series of new technology focused upgrades that will roll out to several vehicles in its lineup, including the XC40, EX40, EC40, S60, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90 and V90 Cross Country models.
At the height of these upgrades is a new-generation user experience and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Cockpit Platform. Volvo highlighted that, these technologies allow the infotainment system offered across its line up to benefit from enhanced processing speeds and responsiveness. Select models in Volvo’s European lineup, the EX30; EX40; and EC40, will benefit further from Plug & Charge functionality, a service that helps streamline charging payments.
While the new-generation Volvo Car UX system is already built into the EX30, EX90, and new XC90, Volvo will soon make it available across its full line-up. Through the new user experience system, Volvo is focused on delivering a safe, enjoyable experience to users through the central infotainment screen, providing Google built-in services to add convenience to this experience.
Volvo Car UX will, for example, allow users to customize their home screen, placing favorite and frequently used apps there for quick access, such as the in-vehicle maps, media, and phone applications. The contextual bar offers a similar function, changing dynamically according to the situation and displaying recently used apps. The driver display, located behind the steering wheel, has also been updated with a larger and a clearer navigation view.
From 2025, the XC40, EX40, EC40, S60, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90 and V90 Cross Country all come equipped with the new Volvo Car UX. For existing owners, the system will be delivered to Volvo vehicles with Google built-in through an OTA software update. Later in the year, Volvo will issue this same update globally to Volvo cars built as early as 2020.
Much like Volvo Car UX, the Snapdragon Cockpit Platform is today offered natively in the EX90 and EX30, complementing Volvo’s Google Android Auto-based infotainment system to increase its performance and responsiveness. When rolled out to the models listed above, Volvo says that the upgraded infotainment system will more than two times fast than the outgoing system, while also utilizing a graphics generation that is up to 10 times faster. The Snapdragon Cockpit Platform will also be added to the new XC90 SUV this year.
The third upgrade that Volvo will deliver, exclusively in its European territories, is Plug & Charge, which will be added to this year’s EX30, EX40, and EXC40 models. Plug & Charge, itself, is an authentication and billing system that aims to simplify the charging experience. Set up and activated inside the car, users can find charging stations compatible with the service through the in-vehicle Google Maps app, or the Volvo Cars smartphone app. These stations identify both the user’s car and its associated payment method once the charging cable has been connected. Charging then starts automatically, with no need for additional cards or authentication methods to be used, while the payment is processed seamlessly.
