Google gets in gear with Volvo to drive connected vehicle AI

Google has announced it has extended its technology partnership with car giant Volvo, with the aim of delivering the latest developments in Android Automotive OS to customers that own Volvo models with Google built-in.

Founded in 1927, Volvo sells to customers in more than 100 countries, and has the ambition to become a fully electric carmaker as part of its commitment to an ongoing reduction of its carbon footprint, achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

The extended partnership will see Volvo​ car​s serve as one of Google’s reference hardware platforms for future Android development in cars.

Volvo models with Google technology built-in, in particular the Gemini AI platform, include the Volvo EX90, an all-electric Volvo EX90 sports utility vehicle (SUV). Volvo says that among the features of the seven-seat family vehicle is an “invisible shield” of safety enabled by sensing technology including cameras, radars and lidar. These are connected to the car’s high core computers running Volvo Cars’ in-house software to create a real-time, 360-degree view of the world.

In addition, the core software system is powered by Nvidia Drive AI platforms Xavier and Orin, Snapdragon Cockpit Platforms from Qualcomm Technologies and in-house developed software by Volvo engineers. These run most of the core functions inside the car, from safety and infotainment to battery management.

Future software will also include Google Gemini AI, and Volvo cars with Google built-in will be among the first to benefit from the latest conversational AI technology.

Volvo believes that with Gemini in the car, drivers can better understand ​what they want through natural conversations​. They can talk naturally to craft messages, translate them into another language before sending, ask questions from the car’s user manual or learn specific details about a destination. Natural conversation is seen to help reduce drivers’ cognitive load so they can stay focused on driving, reducing distractions for everyone onboard.

Gemini will replace the current Google Assistant in Volvo cars with Google built-in later in 2025, and Volvo​ car​s will now serve as one of Google’s reference hardware platforms for future Android development in cars. This means Google will use Volvo as a lead development partner for ​new ​features and updates, before adding them to the main Android codebase.

Google is confident that the upshot of this is that it and Volvo Cars can “innovate together” on new connected experiences​, making sure Volvo drivers will be among the first to enjoy the latest Android features and performance enhancements. They also expect their partnership to ​accelerate advancements in the connected car space for the entire automotive industry and drivers around the world.

Patrick Brady, vice-president of Android for Cars at Google, said: “For years, Google and Volvo Cars have collaborated closely to bring cutting-edge technology to connected cars. We’re excited to deepen this partnership, accelerating the pace of innovation that will not only improve the driving experience for Volvo customers, but also set new benchmarks for the automotive industry.”

Alwin Bakkenes, head of global software engineering at Volvo Cars, added: “We strive to deliver human-centric technology, and a stunning customer experience is an essential part of this. Through this partnership with Google, we are able to bring the very latest features and capabilities from the leading consumer ecosystem into our products first. With our expanding partnership, we’re collaborating on cutting-edge solutions that shape the future of connected cars.”