Volvo rolls out Google Assistant-focused OTA in US

Volvo Cars reported that it has now rolled out a Google Assistant-focused over-the-air (OTA) update in the United States (US).

Per the Swedish automotive brand, the said OTA update includes the ability to issue voice commands through Google Assistant-enabled devices.

“Thanks to over-the-air updates and our rapidly growing in-house software development, we can create and deploy new features as well as enhance the customer experience much quicker than before,” said Volvo Cars Head of Software Engineering Alwin Bakkenes.

“The launch of Google Assistant controlled actions is a demonstration of our commitment to providing our customers with a better car every day, adding more convenience and peace of mind,” he added.

According to Volvo Cars, customers who downloaded the update get to enjoy features such as checking their vehicle’s battery or fuel levels, starting the climate control, checking the charging status of the electric vehicle, and even starting or ending a charging session, all through a “Hey Google” command on their device.

While this functionality is currently available only in the US, Volvo Cars said that the company has plans to expand to other markets in the near future. And as its reach continues to grow, so will the list of available commands.

Also included in this update is the expansion of Volvo Cars’ Care Key technology into all OTA-compatible cars. Originally introduced in 2021, the Care Key allows owners to easily limit the maximum speed on their car even further than the built-in limit.

Further, the OTA makes it easier to remove a paired device from the infotainment system using a button Volvo Cars added to the menu for pairing devices. 

Additionally, Volvo Cars reported that the brand’s OTA updates have passed more than one million downloads.

Per the Gothenburg-based carmaker, its eleventh large OTA update is expected to reach 350,000 customer cars around the globe, the largest amount ever covered in one single deployment.

Photos from Volvo 

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