Volvo Cars has announced a range of updates to its global connected services programme and the award-winning Sensus in-car user interface, starting with the all-new XC60 and the existing and new 90 cluster cars.
Volvo Cars’ innovative In-car Delivery service which launched in 2015 as part of the Volvo On Call smartphone app, allows one-time digital key access for deliveries to be made directly to the car and is set to expand to five additional countries during 2017.
“This is just the start. Our roll out of one of the most comprehensive and customer-relevant services in the industry is now shifting up a gear and you will see more convenient and time-saving services offered to Volvo Cars’ customers in the coming months,” says Björn Annwall, Senior Vice President Global Consumer Experience at Volvo Car Group.
To support the addition of new services, Volvo On Call, the company’s connected smartphone app, has undergone a complete redesign. The app is now one of the most widespread connected car platforms available today and will be available in around 50 countries by the end of 2017, covering more than 90 per cent of Volvo Cars’ global sales.
The organic growth in both penetration and popularity of the Volvo On Call app is based on an increasing desire amongst premium car drivers to access vehicle features and related services while not in their car. Volvo Cars’ approach with Volvo On Call is firmly based on its commitment to make life easier for Volvo owners.
Volvo owners can now send navigation destinations based on their calendar directly to their car, find nearby fuel stations and even get help finding their car in large car parks or on unfamiliar city streets using the remote smartphone app.
“The role of Volvo On Call has changed from remote car access app to a platform that functions as the main entry point for Volvo Cars’ customers to an increasingly broad selection of connected services. We are at the forefront of this shift in car technology and service provision. Eventually you might not even need to own a Volvo to benefit from the services offered via the Volvo On Call smartphone app,” continues Annwall.
The Swedish carmaker has also improved the Sensus user interface in the new XC60 and in its 90 cluster cars with new graphics, improving usability while presenting a refreshed, cleaner and more-appealing design.
“As we learn more about our customers’ interaction with our user interface we refine the logic and design to increase ease of use and enhance its appearance. The updated interface is focused on the navigation experience in the car which is one of the core applications,” says Ödgärd Andersson, Vice President Software & Electronics at Volvo Car Group.
New 90 cluster cars will feature the updated Sensus interface for model year 2018, and existing cars, including XC90 and S90 in South Africa, will be upgradable to the new interface via dealers at their next service, as from May 2017.
Volvo On Call is currently unavailable in South Africa due to infrastructure limitations, a solution to which Volvo Car South Africa continues to develop. In South Africa, all Volvo cars are available (as from January 2014) as standard with Tracker Connect and the downloadable Tracker Connect smartphone app, which offers connected roadside assistance. Further developments are ongoing.
In other motoring related news, Volvo recently took the wraps off of its all-new XC60 premium SUV.
