2.5 Million Volvo Onwers Are Affected By This Huge Software Delay

• Volvo has delayed a big software update for 2.5 million cars built after 2020.
• The over-the-air update was supposed to land this year.
• The latest version of the Google-based infotainment software brings a simpler interface.

Volvo has delayed the release of a big software update that was initially scheduled to land on 2.5 million vehicles this year. The update is meant to bring the same functionality found on the automaker’s latest models and is intended for cars built in or after 2020 that were fitted with a Google-based infotainment system.

“To ensure that the new Volvo Car UX delivers an exceptional experience on all 2.5 million eligible Volvo models—regardless of market, model year, or hardware version—we now plan to release the new software early next year, rather than in 2025 as previously stated,” a Volvo Car USA representative exclusively told InsideEVs. “Customers will be notified directly when the update is available for their vehicle.”

The software update will bring the same user experience as on the 2025 Volvo XC90, minus the larger screen and more powerful processor.

Photo by: InsideEVs

This is how the current software version looks like on vehicles that are eligible for the update.

Photo by: Iulian Dnistran / InsideEVs

To be clear, cars that have the Sensus infotainment system are not eligible for this update. Instead, vehicles that were shipped with the first iteration of Volvo’s Android Automotive OS infotainment system are part of the list–if your car has a traditional touchscreen with a home button at the bottom and lacks a physical drive mode selector, then you’re in for the 2026-bound update.

One of the biggest improvements brought by the latest software version is linked to that digital drive mode selector. Currently, Volvo owners–myself included–have to press the touchscreen three times to change the driving mode, which is particularly annoying on the automaker’s plug-in hybrids, where one might want to change the drive mode multiple times during a trip.

The latest update adds a virtual drive modes button on the home screen, which means drivers will only have to tap the screen twice. The bottom of the screen remains mostly unchanged, but a persistent button bar will be added on top, where owners will be able to pin some of their favorite apps.

The software version that will be released early next year for pre-2025 Volvos looks and works the same as on the 2025.5 XC90 SUV, as well as on the EX90 and EX30 electric models. The big question is: how well will older cars cope with the new software? 

Owners of these vehicles have long complained about laggy software that can be linked to the sluggish processors that power it all. New cars come with a larger screen and a more powerful processor, so the pressure is on the Swedish automaker to deliver the right kind of user experience.

Recently, Volvo has been through software hell with the EX90, and one of the solutions was to offer a hardware upgrade. That’s not possible for older cars, and nobody wants to ride in a luxury vehicle that feels like a 2000s smartphone to operate, so the company has to get this right.

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– The InsideEVs team