Volvo has announced its biggest ever over-the-air (OTA) software update with the global rollout of its new user interface, ‘Volvo Car UX’, which will be free of charge for vehicles dating back to 2020.
In what it claims is one of the largest automotive software updates in history, the company said the new update will apply to more than 2.5 million Volvo vehicles in 85 countries, including around 33,000 in Australia.
Volvo said the update “prepares cars for an optimal conversational AI [artificial intelligence] experience with Google Gemini, which is set to come to the same eligible cars this [European] spring [April-June 2026].”
Vehicles made from 2020 onwards and using Google Built-in will be given the upgraded Volvo Car UX (user experience), which is based on the Android Automotive operating system.
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Google Built-in was first seen in the 2020 Volvo XC40 small SUV, introducing functions including Google Assistant and Google Maps navigation, as well as connectivity with smart home devices.
In Australia, the roll-out saw Google Built-in spread across all Volvos sold from 2020, before spanning the Swedish auto brand’s entire lineup from the 2023 model year.
In a statement, the Geely-owned automaker said its new user interface software “takes fewer taps or clicks for customers to reach the most-used features”.
This includes faster access to maps, media and phone functions, which have been positioned on the home screen. Volvo says this means drivers won’t have to exit Google Maps to change the music, for example.
There are also changes to benefit drivers of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), which will continue to be available after Volvo pulled back its previous plan to offer only electric vehicles (EVs) globally from 2030.
A ‘Drive Modes’ option on the home screen of PHEVs will enable quick access to drive modes, allowing drivers to switch between petrol and electric power with a single touch.
From July 1, 2026, new regulations in China will mandate physical buttons for key functions in new vehicles, following a broad customer backlash against key vehicle controls being moved from dashboards and into touchscreens.
Meantime, Volvo will introduce vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging capability in Australia in the EX30 small electric SUV as part of a 2026 model year update that’s expected in the second half of this year.
Other models are set to follow, but their release timing is yet to be officially confirmed.
Australians will see Volvo’s new ES90 large electric liftback, a rival to the BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE priced from $88,880 before on-road costs, in local showrooms in the first half of this year.
The new EX60 mid-size electric SUV – yet another Tesla Model Y rival, this time positioned as an electric alternative to the XC60 within the Volvo lineup – is also scheduled to land here in July.