Media reports keep telling you cars are growing more like phones every year. But your phone gains new features through updates while you sleep. When was the last time your car did that?
If you own a Volvo, it could happen next year.
Volvo recently debuted a new infotainment system in its updated 2025 XC90 SUV. The company’s flagship model doesn’t get a complete redesign for 2025, but it’s close. A heavy update includes an upgraded suspension system, a sophisticated new look, and an infotainment update that makes the most commonly used functions easier to access.
That last part will also come to older Volvos. The company explains, “During 2025, around 2.5 million customers around the globe will receive an upgrade on their Volvo cars built as early as 2020.”
The company will push over-the-air software updates through a gradual roll-out during the year.
Related: What Is Over-The-Air?
Older models won’t get the new 11.2-inch touchscreen from the XC90. But they will get the software that powers it. “We now present the most common apps and controls, such as maps, media and phone on the home screen – the same setup as our latest electric cars. That means it takes fewer taps on the screen to get to the features you most often use,” Volvo explains.
Owners of plug-in hybrid Volvos will also gain access to drive modes on the home screen.
“Our new-generation user experience can be adapted and scaled to fit different screen shapes and sizes. That way, we can bring the latest Volvo Cars infotainment experience to you, no matter if you drive a new XC90, an EX90, or a three-year-old XC40,” the company says.
Over-the-air updates enable automakers to add features to cars long after selling them. Tesla famously rolls out a new holiday-themed update package for free every December. Other automakers sell upgrades via software, including horsepower increases.
Volvo will not charge for the new system.
