EX30’s touchscreen controls headlights, mirrors and climate control
Software tweaks for delayed European cars were ‘about debugging’, says Volvo, not usability improvements
Volvo is considering revisions to the controversial multimedia software in the new EX30 compact crossover – but not until it has received data and feedback from customers.
The new machine has been largely stripped of physical controls, with most key functions accessed through the large touchscreen. But the functionality of the software was widely criticised by reviewers when the car was launched.
Reports last month suggested that cars were being withheld from customers on European dealer forecourts while key software updates were performed, but the company has told Autocar that these were only detail improvements rather than changes to menu structure or functions accessibility.
Some left-hand-drive cars in European markets were delayed from getting to their owners while software was updated by dealers, Volvo said, but UK customer deliveries (which were always planned for early March, with the country’s registration plate change) haven’t been affected.
In-depth verdicts on the EX30, evaluated on UK roads, are due to appear next week. However, just because the car’s multimedia software is considered ready for customers, it does not mean it won’t continue to improve, according to Akhil Krishnan, global head of small car programs for Volvo.
“The software revision we’ve just rolled out ahead of European deliveries is what we call v1.21,” Krishnan said. “It was mostly about detail refinements, among which was making the car’s low-speed ‘pedestrian safety noise’ slightly quieter, because we had regulatory room to do that.
“Right now, we’re defining exactly what should be in v2.0, which will be offered on customer cars over the air later in 2024. We need more customer data and feedback before we make big decisions about the exact content of it – but we are considering top-level changes to what information can be displayed on the multimedia home screen, and also to the function of driver-customisable shortcut keys.”
The EX30, Volvo’s first B-segment SUV, is intended to appeal to younger buyers than its existing models. Its interior design majors on the ‘centralisation’ of its secondary controls in order to reduce the number of components needed around the interior, thereby making it a more sustainable car. However, it was widely criticised in preliminary reviews in November 2023 for being too touchscreen heavy.
The car’s physical controls are limited to window switches, door locks and hazard warning buttons, with steering column switches controlling drive selection, indicators and wiper control. Headlight controls, door mirror adjusters, climate controls and driver assistance controls are carried within the multimedia display.
