Volvo Cars announced on 21 May 2025 an expanded partnership with Google to accelerate the rollout of Android Automotive OS innovations, including the integration of Google’s new conversational AI, Gemini. The announcement was made at Google I/O 2025, where the advanced AI system was showcased in the all-electric Volvo EX90.
Volvo cars equipped with Google built-in will be among the first vehicles to feature Gemini, which is designed to understand natural language more deeply than the current Google Assistant. The new system allows drivers to compose and translate messages, access user manual content, and retrieve destination information through more intuitive voice commands—helping to reduce driver distraction.
Later this year, Gemini will replace Google Assistant in Volvo’s Android-powered cars.
As part of the strengthened collaboration, Volvo Cars will also become one of Google’s reference hardware platforms for Android development in cars. This means new features and updates will be tested on Volvo vehicles before being integrated into the broader Android codebase.
“For years, Google and Volvo Cars have collaborated closely to bring cutting-edge technology to connected cars,” says Patrick Brady, Vice President of Android for Cars at Google.
“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.”
Volvo’s new role as a lead development partner gives its drivers early access to future Android features and performance enhancements, further reinforcing the brand’s position in the connected car space.
“We strive to deliver human-centric technology, and a stunning customer experience is an essential part of this,” says Alwin Bakkenes, Head of Global Software Engineering at Volvo Cars.
“With our expanding partnership, we’re collaborating on cutting-edge solutions that shape the future of connected cars.”
Source: Volvo PR
