Swedish car manufacturer, Volvo, has announced that they will be giving new updates to their XC90 and S90 vehicles. The updates will focus on new safety standards, power train and connectivity technology. The 90 series cars are already equipped with Apple CarPlay and will now be including Android Auto functionality to cater to Android mobile users.
Senior Vice President Announced The Safety Features
According to Volvo Car Group's senior vice president for Research and Development, Peter Mertens; "Volvo is the only carmaker with a split screen interface that uses both the in-car features and smartphone functionality without changing views. This is a safety-related feature that is designed to make the interface the easiest to use on the market." Over-the-air navigation update system will also be featured now on the Volvo 90 series cars, a feature to ensure that the maps are always up to date and that the road user always gets the latest updates.
Volvo Now Have Car Sharing Capability For Added Safety
Two new connected safety systems will also be introduced with the XC90, S90 and V90 cars. A feature that will use the cloud to share information to other 90 series owners, this will utilize the Slippery Road Alert and Hazard Light Alert which will share critical data to between the cars. The sensors will now be optimized to share data and keep other road users safe from road hazards by transmitting collective data.
New Drive-E powertrain variants will also be added to the lineup. The S90's D3 four-cylinder diesel engine with the new manual six-speed transmission will now deliver 4.3liters per 100km or around 54 miles per gallon. Emissions will also go down to just 114g per kilometer CO2. The D3 will also be available now in an all wheel drive variant.
The Concierge Service App Makes Servicing Hassle-Free
Aside from the updates, Volvo has also recently launched their concierge service in the San Francisco Bay Area. The program still focuses on XC90 and S90 owners, that allow them to have fuel delivery, carwash or tune-up, and maintenance services through the use of a concierge service. A startup company named Filld Inc will provide the services. The program operates by using the Volvo On Call App and concierge personnel will receive a digital key to unlock the car or the gas flap to re-fuel.
In addition, the Volvo owner can also use the concierge service app to have car washes even if they are not present. The concierge personnel can wash the car in the customer's garage while the owner is in the office or doing other tasks. The car maintenance works bringing the personnel to the car's location, driving the car for servicing, and returning to the owner right after. Everything is traceable with the concierge service app that makes it worry-free for the owner.
"It is yet another reason to buy a Volvo, and it is totally integrated into the car system. The app uses an open source, but is very secure." Said Mertens. Volvo is on the right track in vehicle innovation as they are introducing what can be the new standards in vehicle manufacturing and safety.
