Volvo CEO Jim Rowan announced that the company will no longer launch cars “non finite” after complaints that the new EX90 electric SUV was unveiled without some promised key technologies.
The launch of the EX90, Volvo’s new flagship electric SUVhas been criticized for lacking important features such as Apple CarPlay (However, there are specific adapters to make the software work anyway) and the failure of some advanced systems such as the Lidar cameraIn total, eight key technology features will not be available at launch, but will be gradually introduced via over-the-air updates.
Autocar magazine called it “unacceptable“the launch of a car in this class without all the features promised. Director Mark Tisshaw commented: “The EX90’s launch was delayed by nearly a year due to software complexity, but even that delay wasn’t enough to bring it up to the level you’d expect from a new car in 2024.“.
Volvo’s response to criticism
Interviewed by Car Dealer, Rowan explained: “We are the first to cross the Rubicon to a fully software-defined architecture. Many very good competitors have failed to do this. Why? It’s damn hard. We couldn’t fit everything we wanted into the first release.“.
“Next time I would like to be much more precise about the launch times”
The CEO stressed that Volvo has been transparent with EX90 customersinforming them about the features available at launch and those that would be added later. Rowan said he was confident that early buyers would accept these incomplete aspects and “will eagerly await updates“.
The Future of Volvo Launches
Rowan confirmed that future Volvo models – including an updated XC90, the ES90 electric sedan and the electric successor to the XC60 – will be more complete when they are launched on the market.”The next time we release our new architecture or next evolution, we can reuse what we have already developed and introduce all the features from ‘day one’“, he said.
However, Some Volvo dealers have expressed disappointment at the EX90 launch without some key technologies. An anonymous dealer stated: “It’s very hard to explain why the car doesn’t have something as simple as CarPlay, which has been available on our cars for years. Customers are very excited about the EX90 and it looks incredible, but it should be completely finished and working before it hits our dealerships.“.
The EX90 story raises questions about the complex balance between technological innovation, development times and customer expectations in the high-end automotive sector. As Volvo aims to maintain its reputation as a forward-thinking brand, it will need to carefully balance the introduction of new technologies with the need to offer complete and reliable products from launch.
Source: www.tomshw.it
