Volvo EX60: The AI Car That Actually Talks to You – A Deep Dive
Next week marks the global debut of Volvo’s highly anticipated EX60 SUV. This isn’t just another electric vehicle; it’s a statement. Built on a completely new, EV-dedicated platform, the EX60 incorporates cutting-edge design trends like cell-to-body battery technology, substantial weight-reducing castings, and a sophisticated electronic architecture powered by computers capable of over 250 trillion operations per second. At the heart of this innovation lies HuginCore, Volvo’s next-generation software-defined vehicle platform, poised to redefine the driving experience. This platform represents a significant leap forward in automotive intelligence and connectivity.
The Mythology Behind HuginCore
Volvo’s penchant for drawing inspiration from Norse mythology continues with HuginCore, named after one of Odin’s two ravens. As Alwin Bakkenes, head of global software engineering at Volvo Cars, explains, “We have Thor’s Hammer [Volvo’s distinctive headlight design] and now we have HuginCore… one of the two trusted Ravens of Odin. He sent Hugin and Muninn out to fly across the realms and observe and gather information and knowledge, which they then share with Odin that enabled him to make the right decisions as the ruler of Asgard.”
The analogy is deliberate. “Much like Hugin, the way we look at this technology platform, it collects information from all of the sensors, all of the actuators in the vehicle. It understands the world around the vehicle, and it enables us to actually anticipate around what lies ahead,” Bakkenes elaborates. This constant data gathering and analysis are crucial for the EX60’s advanced AI capabilities and proactive safety features.
Learning from the EX90: A Second-Generation Platform
HuginCore isn’t Volvo’s first foray into software-defined vehicles. It’s the second generation, built upon the lessons learned from the EX90. “The transformation that we did to really becoming a tech company that has control over its own stack—so hardware and software… I can’t lie. It’s been a tough journey. So the EX90 has been a tough journey to get it to launch. And we also had some issues in the beginning, and the learnings that we took from it, we actually brought into what we’re doing with EX60,” Bakkenes admits. This iterative approach demonstrates Volvo’s commitment to refining its technology and delivering a more polished user experience.
The EX90 served as a crucial proving ground, identifying areas for improvement in software integration and overall system stability. The EX60 benefits directly from these hard-won insights, promising a smoother and more reliable launch.
SPA3 Architecture and Future-Proofing the Volvo Fleet
The EX60 is built on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture 3 (SPA3). But what does this mean for current Volvo owners? Good news: the introduction of SPA3 and HuginCore doesn’t render older models obsolete. “Of course there’s, at some point, cars go into maintenance, but the majority of the fleet of cars that we have out, we intend to keep on the latest software baselines,” Bakkenes assures.
While a direct HuginCore port to SPA2 vehicles like the EX90 isn’t confirmed, the underlying hardware is largely compatible. “The core compute platform as such, even though we’ve made some changes in EX60 and optimized it, a lot of it is actually common with, for example, SPA2. So a lot of code is being… We have what we call the superset tech stack. We have a superset of code and we do manifest-based configuration towards a specific hardware variant, which means that we actually deploy the same towards a SPA2 car and a SPA3 car, for example, in terms of a lot of functionality,” Bakkenes explains. This “superset” approach allows for efficient software updates and feature parity across different Volvo models.
The Power Behind HuginCore: Nvidia and Qualcomm
HuginCore isn’t solely reliant on Volvo’s internal development. Strategic partnerships with industry leaders are key. Nvidia provides the powerful Drive AGX Orin system-on-a-chip, while Qualcomm contributes its Snapdragon 8255 SoC. Together, these components deliver “a lot of inference compute… and it’s flexible inference compute. So it enables us to develop AI-based algorithm models for self-driving, for other tasks in the car as well, and do that flexibly.”
This combination of hardware allows Volvo to not only create a capable vehicle today but also build a flexible platform for future innovation. “As we do this, it’s not just that we build a car which is great today, but we are building the foundation with Hugin, which is a flexible compute platform which has access to essentially all the sensors and all the actuators in the car so we can evolve this over time,” Bakkenes emphasizes.
Agentic AI: Gemini and the Conversational Car
One of the most exciting aspects of the EX60 is its integration with Google’s Gemini AI. This isn’t just another voice assistant; it’s a true conversational AI agent. Volvo was an early adopter of Google’s automotive services, and Gemini takes that partnership to the next level. The goal is to create a natural and intuitive interaction between driver and vehicle.
Unlike traditional voice control systems, Gemini allows for more ambiguous requests. “If you don’t know exactly where you want to go, you can give vague destination settings; if you want to play a song that you vaguely remember who did it and it was about something, you can talk about it in natural ways and it will actually help you find what you’re looking for, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg,” Bakkenes reveals.
Understanding Your Car with AI
Gemini isn’t just about entertainment and navigation. It’s deeply integrated with the EX60’s systems and knowledge base. “I want to understand how I share my digital key. I can open up a manual or something, but I can actually just ask, how do I share my digital key to a friend or to a valet? Or how do I charge? How do I open the charge lid? How do I do this, et cetera? And it just knows all of these things. So you can converse around it without going through the thick manual,” Bakkenes explains. This eliminates the need to sift through lengthy owner’s manuals, making the car more accessible and user-friendly.
Beyond the Car: Real-World Information and Productivity
Gemini’s capabilities extend beyond the vehicle itself. It can access real-time information and even assist with tasks outside the car. Bakkenes shares an example: “I want to find out if a particular model of TV was in stock at a nearby store, and whether it would fit in my car.”
Furthermore, a feature called Gemini Live promises to boost productivity. “I’ve actually used it in the morning to get information about collecting Reddit feedback, so summarizing Reddit feedback from last week’s feedback on our product, for example. And when I get to work and I open up Gemini, I have the transcript of the discussion, so I can actually pick up there and keep the context. It also keeps context,” Bakkenes says. This seamless transition between tasks could significantly enhance efficiency.
Safety First: Volvo’s Core Value
Despite the advanced AI integration, Volvo remains steadfast in its commitment to safety. The brand’s long-standing reputation for prioritizing safety is reassuring when considering the introduction of AI agents into its vehicles. While the EX90 experienced some initial software challenges, Volvo has learned from those experiences and is applying those lessons to the EX60.
The Future of Driving is Conversational
The Volvo EX60 represents a significant step towards a future where cars are not just modes of transportation but intelligent companions. With its powerful HuginCore platform, advanced AI capabilities powered by Gemini, and unwavering commitment to safety, the EX60 is poised to redefine the driving experience. The promise of a car that truly understands and responds to your needs is no longer a distant dream – it’s becoming a reality. The EX60 isn’t just an AI car; it’s a car that actually talks to you, and more importantly, *listens*.
GearTech will continue to follow the development of the EX60 and provide updates as they become available. Stay tuned for a full review once we have the opportunity to experience this groundbreaking vehicle firsthand.