Volvo Doubles Down on the Software program-Outlined Automobile — CleanTechnica Area Journey

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Volvo invited CleanTechnica to have fun the 10-year anniversary of its Charleston automotive manufacturing unit the place they are going to be including manufacturing capability for the XC60 and one other yet-to-be-announced, second-generation, extended-range electrical automobile by 2030.

Disclaimer: Volvo paid for the writer’s journey and lodging to attend this occasion.

We sat down with Volvo Automobiles’ Chief Engineer and Chief Know-how Officer Anders Bell on the occasion to dig into the expertise that powers their electrical automobiles and underpins their next-generation ADAS security techniques. The upgraded dual-chip Nvidia Drive ATX-based core pc coming to the EX90 is the inspiration for what Volvo calls the “superset” software program stack for its next-generation software-defined automotive.

Volvo will even improve the computer systems within the 2025 Volvo EX90 to the brand new Nvidia Orin-based system on a chip. This simplifies the {hardware} panorama they must develop software program for and simplifies their software program model administration.

The Software program- & Power-Outlined Car

The transition to electrical automobiles for Volvo has not come with out issue as software program continues to be an more and more vital a part of the automobile. “It’s a large transition for us as an organization,” Bell informed us. “Not solely being a automotive firm but in addition being a software program firm. It’s not both or. You could be each in 2025.”

Automotive software program in most vehicles appears to be caught within the Nineties, highlighting simply how troublesome it’s for automotive corporations to construct dependable, intuitive, and leading edge software program. “We’re one of many only a few legacy carmakers who pulled it off,” he mentioned.

It facilities across the idea of the software- and energy-defined automotive that requires automotive corporations to change into specialists at each the automobiles themselves and the software program that powers them. “[The software- and energy-defined vehicle is] a option to attempt to describe the 2 simultaneous profound transformations happening in automotive, they usually occur to coincide,” Bell mentioned.

Volvo’s first shot at constructing a software-defined electrical automobile was the EX90, and what shipped to clients was not excellent. The software program was buggy and plagued early house owners. “I can’t say how sorry we’re for purchasers who’ve misplaced belief in our merchandise,” Bell informed us in a roundtable dialogue on the occasion. “We are going to do the whole lot we are able to to regain that belief. We’re working tremendous arduous on this.”

As a substitute of derailing their progress, the early software program points galvanized the group and appeared to have strengthened their resolve to ship. They put their heads down and developed and pushed out a collection of over-the-air software program updates beginning in June 2025 which have largely resolved the early points. “The over-the-air updates we’ve performed have been profitable,” Bell mentioned. “We’ve solved these issues and can by no means have them once more.”

A Cultural Paradigm Shift

The important thing to constructing and turning into an important automotive software program group was extraordinarily troublesome for Volvo as a result of in a software-defined electrical automobile, software program touches each side of the automobile. “You could strategy the product improvement and the automotive with a software-first mindset,” Bell mentioned. “That doesn’t come naturally. It takes a while to construct that.”

As {hardware} modifications are explored, corresponding modifications on the software program facet should even be taken under consideration as equal shareholders within the course of. “It must be a pure a part of the whole lot you do.” If the software program group is downstream within the design course of, they don’t seem to be an equal companion within the course of and are pressured to eat the outcomes of no matter selections are made upstream.

“A part of the error can be constructing it into a unique group,” Bell mentioned. Standing up their very own inner software program group has required a prime to backside cultural change within the firm which was a serious endeavor.

Bell sees a world the place over-the-air updates are the norm at Volvo. “It provides a 3rd or fourth dimension to your pondering as an automotive engineer or developer,” he mentioned.

Which means not solely making {hardware} and software program selections to construct the perfect automobile for right now, however for years out, the place updates are pushed out to a fleet of hundreds of thousands of customer-owned electrical automobiles. It’s a powerful train in long run pondering which makes full sense coming from an organization like Volvo.

“We’ve had a tricky journey, however we’ve come by way of on the opposite facet a lot wiser, a lot better now,” Bell mentioned.

A New Technology

The 2026 Volvo EX90 would be the first Volvo with the upgraded pc and has been the first focus for the event of the superset of ADAS options utilizing its full stack of sensors. Because the flagship electrical Volvo, the EX90 is getting all of the bells and whistles.

“We will scale down the sensor set and any leaner configuration would profit from correlating upgrades,” he mentioned. “So you are able to do entry degree ADAS techniques so long as it’s in the identical tech stack that may have a number of profit from the EX90.”

From there, Volvo can deploy parts from the identical superset of software program and {hardware} to all of its automobiles. Completely different ADAS modules may be “bolted on” — actually for the {hardware} and digitally on the software program facet — relying on which sensors the brand new automobile has. Bell shared that this identical superset software program stack would underpin the upcoming EX60, which can be revealed on January twenty first in Stockholm, Sweden.

The superset of software program is manufactured from a number of software program modules, together with Android Auto. “The stack accommodates a number of parts. Android Auto is a type of parts.” Volvo acts primarily because the {hardware} architect and builder, but in addition the architect and integrator on the software program facet of the automobile.

The Path Ahead

Transitioning your complete firm from a hardware-focused automotive firm to a completely built-in {hardware} and software program firm was a serious endeavor. It’s a tough tablet to swallow, as a result of from a buyer perspective, Volvo hasn’t delivered a lot in tangible advantages from its software program group. “We’re ready the place now we have launched a product however now we have but to reap the advantages,” he mentioned. “We have to make the arduous journey depend.”

With their heads above water on the EX90, Anders and his software program group have a watch to the long run. “Now we all know what nice seems to be like,” he mentioned. The reveal of the brand new Volvo EX60 is correct across the nook and he’s visibly enthusiastic about it. Like a child on Christmas who can’t wait so that you can open the current he spent a lot time selecting out. “What I’m wanting ahead to most of all proper now could be to point out the world the EX60.”

After a bit coaxing, he opened up about it. “It’s going to be actually, actually aggressive. Uncompromised electrical automobiles,” he mentioned. “That’s across the nook.”

Volvo has teased a reveal of the brand new EX60 on January twenty first and we are able to’t wait to see what they convey to the get together together with it as the corporate begins actually leveraging its newly earned software program chops to please clients. “There’s an extended record of proof factors coming,” Bell informed us.

Volvo has been one of the vital progressive automotive corporations on the planet for many years, and we are able to’t wait to see what’s subsequent now that they’ve put within the arduous work to learn to constructed sturdy, extraordinarily succesful and protected electrical automobiles for generations to return.

A Modular EV Platform

On the best way out, he dropped a bit easter egg in regards to the new platform that may underpin the EX60, hinting at a brand new modular platform: “SPA2 is designed to scale all the best way from B to F.”

That’s the whole lot from small vehicles like Volvo’s traditional C30 all the best way on as much as the large boy EX90. Preserve a watch out for extra about this as we get nearer to the official unveiling occasion in January.