Volvo OTA Updates Go 1 Million Mark, XC90 Recharge Earns Highest IIHS Security Ranking

Volvo has introduced that it has accomplished multiple million over-the-air software program updates globally. This eleventh OTA from Volvo coated 350,000 autos worldwide and was its largest replace ever. Within the US, it permits homeowners to challenge instructions to their vehicles utilizing their Google Assistant–enabled units, so now they’ll say “Heat the automotive to 74 levels” on their telephone and climb into a snug automotive when it’s chilly outdoors a couple of minutes later.

They’ll additionally test their battery standing or gasoline degree, test on the charging standing of their automotive, and both begin or finish a charging session. They’ll even say issues like, “Hey, Google, what’s included on this replace?” Volvo says it would add Google Assistant to vehicles in different markets within the close to future and that the variety of obtainable instructions will proceed to develop.

Google Assistant can now be used to pre-warm or pre-cool your Volvo EV. Picture courtesy of Volvo Vehicles.

In different markets, this newest replace expands on Volvo’s Care Key know-how, bringing built-in connectivity to tens of 1000’s of consumers whereas additionally fixing a number of software program bugs and making quite a lot of stability enhancements to the Care Key system it launched in 2021. It permits homeowners to restrict the utmost velocity on the automotive under the built-in restrict. It’s supposed to present homeowners peace of thoughts after they mortgage the automotive to others or have a much less skilled driver on the wheel.

One other new characteristic is an efficient instance of how Volvo makes use of buyer suggestions to enhance its vehicles. Some clients requested the corporate to make it simpler to take away a paired system from the infotainment system. This newest software program replace provides a button to do exactly that.

Picture courtesy of Volvo Vehicles.

“Over the air updates are a key know-how that assist us ship on our ambition to make our vehicles repeatedly higher. Additionally they cement our place as an trade chief in the case of updating automotive software program remotely. Updates over the air additionally imply you don’t have to go to a workshop anymore to get the most recent software program, which we predict is slightly handy,” Volvo says in a press launch.

This replace applies to autos in 68 markets — 22 greater than on the time of the earlier replace. It provides built-in connectivity in a number of European markets, together with Greece, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and Iceland. This enchancment offers clients with seamless connectivity, as their knowledge plan now will get embedded into their automotive’s SIM card.

“Due to over the air updates and our quickly rising in-house software program growth, we will create and deploy new options in addition to improve the shopper expertise a lot faster than earlier than. The launch of Google Assistant managed actions is an indication of our dedication to offering our clients with a greater automotive each day, including extra comfort and peace of thoughts,” stated Alwin Bakkenes, head of software program engineering at Volvo.

IIHS Prime Security Choose + Awards For Volvo

Yesterday, we reported on the most recent crash check outcomes and security awards from the Insurance coverage Institute For Freeway Security (IIHS). They’ve been bashing vehicles with battering rams since 2003 to learn how nicely they defend drivers and passengers in a collision. They’ve additionally developed refined instrumented dummies to review the consequences these crashes are prone to have on drivers and passengers, together with girls and younger youngsters.

This yr, IIHS has raised the bar for its crash exams to mirror the truth that autos right now are heavier than they had been in 2003 — about one third heavier, the truth is. The group additionally determined that to qualify for its Prime Security Choose+ award, vehicles should now embrace an automated emergency braking characteristic that acknowledges pedestrians at nighttime, not simply in daylight. Final yr, almost 101 vehicles certified for IIHS Prime Security Choose standing. This yr, solely 48 did, and simply 28 certified for the Prime Security Choose+ award. The Volvo XC90 and XC90 Recharge each gained Prime Security Choose+ standing.

That gave Volvo one thing to crow about. In a press launch, it stated that as a part of Volvo Vehicles’ imaginative and prescient that nobody ought to be significantly injured or killed in a brand new Volvo automotive, the corporate has put security on the middle of all the pieces it does. “The Volvo XC90 continues to show, yr after yr, that it’s among the many most secure autos on the street,” stated Åsa Haglund, head of Volvo Vehicles Security Middle.

The corporate famous that the testing protocols have been revised this yr and that the brand new normal will increase the quantity of power within the aspect collision check by 82 %. 40 % is attributable to the heavier battering ram, which now weighs 4,300 kilos, as a substitute of the 3000 pound ram utilized in prior years. That added 40 % extra power to every collision. As well as, the velocity of the ram has been elevated from 31 mph to 37 mph. That change provides one other 42 % extra power to the equation.

Beneath the brand new testing protocol, a automotive wants to realize a “good” ranking within the aspect impression check to qualify for the Prime Security Choose Plus ranking. Lesser vehicles want solely garner an “acceptable” ranking to obtain the usual ranking of Prime Security Choose. Each the XC90 hybrid and the XC90 Recharge plug-in hybrid earned a Prime Security Choose+ award. Each vehicles additionally handed the brand new nighttime pedestrian security provision added to the testing protocols this yr.

Along with its award-winning security, the XC90 Recharge gives as much as 35 miles of all-electric driving in Pure mode. Volvo Vehicles has made sustainability as vital as security, although, and has introduced plans to promote solely absolutely electrical autos by 2030. It goals to develop into carbon impartial by 2040, the corporate says.

The Takeaway

Volvo has constructed its fame on security. Its vehicles from the ’60s and ’70s had all of the grace and elegance of a delivery container (apart from the scrumptious P1800) however did an amazing job of defending the folks inside within the occasion of an accident. Henry Ford II stated security doesn’t promote, however Volvo has confirmed again and again that persons are keen to pay premium costs for premium vehicles that make security a high precedence. It doesn’t damage that the corporate’s present choices are pleasing to the attention with svelte styling that’s completely up to date.

Some well-known fashions such because the Tesla Mannequin 3 didn’t make the reduce this yr. Though, the Mannequin Y was a kind of 28 fashions that earned the coveted Plus ranking. IIHS says it toughened it procedures as a result of producers had come up to now in assembly the outdated normal that just about each automotive examined acquired at the least a Prime Security Choose ranking. IIHS hopes the modifications it instituted this yr will spur the trade to design and construct even higher, safer vehicles sooner or later.

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