Volvo Cars has taken the lead in developing Google’s Android automotive software, a move set to give the Swedish carmaker’s customers early access to the latest in-car features well ahead of industry competitors.
Announced Wednesday, the expanded partnership will allow Volvo to integrate Android updates faster than rival automakers, potentially delivering new capabilities to users within months instead of years.
“We’re going to be able to bring new features and experiences to our customers more quickly,” said Alwin Bakkenes, Volvo’s head of global software engineering, in an interview with Reuters. “This really gives us an edge in building fantastic customer experiences.”
Volvo and Google have collaborated for over a decade, but the deepened alliance now includes hands-on involvement from Google engineers, who will test their software directly in Volvo vehicles. “They’ll experience how their product behaves in a real context much earlier and much faster,” Bakkenes added.
Currently, Volvo vehicles run on Android 13. However, at Google’s I/O developer conference in Mountain View, California, the two companies showcased Volvo’s upcoming EX90 electric SUV running Android 15 — the latest version of the operating system. The new software is expected to be included in production models later this year.
“Others might have to wait two years to get that latest version of Android,” Bakkenes noted, highlighting the advantage of Volvo’s new position.
The partnership also extends to artificial intelligence. The companies demonstrated Google’s Gemini AI model functioning within the EX90, enabling drivers to interact with the vehicle in more intuitive ways. For instance, Gemini could locate a destination by searching the driver’s emails or suggest recipes and generate a shopping list directly on the user’s phone.
“It’s about creating a human-centric experience,” Bakkenes said.
With this move, Volvo positions itself at the forefront of the automotive software revolution, aiming to blur the line between car and smartphone capabilities.
