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Volvo Begins U.S. Rollout of Google’s Gemini In-Car AI

An over-the-air update puts a conversational assistant in older Volvos to showcase the shift to software-defined cars.

Overview

  • Volvo and Google, which began the U.S. rollout Friday, are delivering the Gemini assistant over the air to Volvo models from 2020 onward.
  • The upgrade replaces fixed voice commands with natural conversation that can plan trips, add smart stops through Google Maps, manage messages, and control music.
  • Gemini taps car data to answer model-specific questions, adjust cabin settings with plain speech, and for EVs show live battery status and predicted charge on arrival.
  • The release starts in English for U.S. drivers and is set to expand to more markets in the coming weeks, with per-country timing and language support still unconfirmed.
  • The launch tracks a wider shift as GM readies Gemini for about 4 million U.S. cars and Polestar begins updates, building on Volvo’s role as Google’s 2025 lead development partner.