The user interface of the EX30 - and now it looks like EX90 - are just awful. Trying driving it at night when you need to adjust HVAC, secondary lighting or other functions through a glaring touch screen. Physical buttons, dials and switches with Volvo-quality tactility and responsiveness are what make safer and more usable interiors.
Interesting. I drive a 2022 Volvo EV, and have had few problems with the UX. How you can possibly make such decisions about a new car months away from being released to the public, or even tested by reviewers baffles me. How frequently do you need to use HVAC at night? You can use voice command to alter most car settings, navigate and so on. Some have an aversion to software-controlled devices, but that ship has sailed. This is a computer system that controls a car. You interact via software controls. Even steering, brakes and acceleration have computer assistance. My car has had a number of UX improvements since new via over the air updates. Buy an ‘old’ car if you must, but at least try the new one before deciding.
@@davidcottrell570 Opinions based on my first impressions of an EX30, now available for test drives at Swedish dealerships. 75% of my commuting (over the whole year) is in the hours of darkness, so I feel very strongly that adjusting temperature, defogger, seat heat, etc should be possible without removing my eyes from the road. Especially since the EX30 has a driver monitoring system that beeps at you if you take your eyes off the road for more than a few seconds. Google Matt Prior's review (and subsequent column) for Autocar magazine to read a professional opinion.
@@Ahagmann855 The only NCAP physical control apparently missing an actual button is the hazard lights, which is located on the screen, and deploys automatically if the airbags are triggered. I’d be surprised if Volvo doesn’t address this, perhaps on the overhead console that houses the SOS and Help buttons. The NHTSA may also be looking into it too, which could lead to enforcement rather than recommendation. That said, buttons are a challenge in a computer controlled car, as well as a point of failure. Diagnosing a fault in electrical wiring is a huge challenge, whereas plugging in a diagnostic tool and being told what to replace doesn’t just save manufacturing costs, it saves on repairs. No one wants to be met with a shrug for trying to fix a fault at $200 an hour that got nowhere. Just did that with our VW camper.
I love the car exterior but I find the interior a bit worrying due to the lack of buttons. Genuine question, since I've seen some replies from Volvo: Have you measured how the lack of physical buttons affects driver awareness/safety since Volvo is a safety oriented brand? How will you adapt/plan to get a good passive safety score in euro NCAP, regarding they will lower your score for the lack of physical buttons? On another note, the EX30 doesn't have an instrument cluster and I wonder how that affects the driver awareness measurements. Otherwise great cars and I hope that I get a reply:]
Hi Leon, In the EX30 all the functions cited as part of the new tests by EuroNCAP have a physical button. We are analysing the new test criteria, but we design our cars to be as safe as possible - not simply to achieve ratings. Our experience, backed up by a combination of research, data and expert knowledge, shows that driver distraction is more impacted by poor user interfaces than by the number or location of screens. Our internal research also shows that fewer screens can result in faster response times, and fewer missed cues. In the EX30, the screen has a high position with the driver information placed at the top, allowing the driver to glance at it more easily compared to a traditional setup - their eyes don’t need to move too far from the road. /Liz
I tried the ex30 that is even worse on that point and there's absolutely no problem ! It's responsive enough so you dont "guess" you clicked on something, the design is pretty nice and everything is easy to find ! Only problem, google maps looks a bit out of place, like poorly integrated... it's like you have android auto on top ofeverything else... but it's still very nice. the thing you'll notice the most is that because google maps is not amazingly integrated, the white of the maps UI is brighter (some kind of whighter wight if you get me) than the system that is a tiny bit more yellowISH so it's more pleasing to the eyes
@@VolvoCars I am night blind and the lack of physical buttons bother me a lot especially because I can't blindly do what I want, I am FORCED to look, of all companies resorting to gimmicks I thought Volvo would be the one to at least not do it at the cost of safety, you have disappointed me
How to make a great user experience in a modern car: RE-INTRODUCE PHYSICAL BUTTONS FOR EVERYTHING. Now you can go ahead and fire everyone working with UX. I just saved the whole car industry millions in labor costs. You can thank me by finally making a good affordable car.
I gave up with Volvo. If you want understated luxury, go for Genesis (it's actual luxury, no bling) If you are on a budget, go Hyundai/ Kia (their EVs are reliable vs iCE)
dare I say it: Boomers. Talk to your car if you find manipulating the interface too difficult while driving. Embrace the future instead of holding on to the past.
@SmokingCrop. Millennial here. Even people with very good dexterity disagree with your generalization. I love using macros, keyboard shortcuts, complicated screen gestures at Home AND work. Whatever I can achieve with my hands with the right tools will be at least 5 to 10 times faster than ANYTHING you or any zoomer can think of. Guaranteed. Voice input my dash. Hear me out : A minimum prerequisite for EVERY NORMAL PERSON BEING ABLE TO REPRODUCE a repeatable, reliable, yet fast and concise actions is to be able to Jab / swipe while your hand / arm is ANCHORED with either: 1) a few / some of the last 3 fingers ( at edge of the screen, I did this for the HVAC controls on the Ev9 and was easy on a bumpy road) 2) flexor wrist / thenar eminence (using a mouse / writing completely relies on this). / 3) elbow needs to rested on center console, yet should not have to life off to reach the area which needs you action / input. NOBODY can rely on your entire arm being in the air while leaning fwd (while driving) for a precision dependent input / action an entire ams length away from your back/core without any resting points. That's why some people can get used to some screens and some screens are useless. The Ev9 was great for me with some physical TOGGLE buttons for certain ac controls that even a naive passenger will not mess up.
I gave up with Volvo. If you want understated, go for Genesis (it's actual luxury, no bling) If you are on a budget, go Hyundai/ Kia (their EVs are reliable vs iCE)
@@MisterX69 Of course not all buttons have to stay, and big screens are fine for some use cases. But I would argue they are way overused, the usability issues are real, and it feels like the designers often reinvent the wheel, and fix problems they themselves created.
Great video! I’m a huge fan of Volvo. I had a 740 model made in 1978 :) and owned c30 and v60 cc. Is there any place where I can learn more about principles Volvo UX design team is driven by, or simply lern more about UX car? Thanks
The best UX is to maintain a few fantastic real buttons and dials for essential functions. To me, Volvo’s UX / layout had peaked with the latest XC90 / XC60, is is stunning and will be remembered as the golden era for car UX. Everything after this is a step down because of the trend “button-less” “all from one screen“. Read the reviews, listen to the clients. Many want volume knob back and a few essentials controls.
Hey there! Just dropping my two cents as a 2021 XC90 owner. Gotta say, the capacity buttons aren't exactly my cup of tea. Moving all the controls to the central screen? Not exactly winning me over. I'm a fan of good ol' physical buttons and knobs - they just feel right, you know? And removing the central driver cluster (EX30) seems like a risky move. C'mon Volvo, you're not Tesla! By the way, it seems like the car industry's swinging back to more traditional controllers (looking at you, VW group). Hoping you guys follow suit. Cheers!
Hi there, thank you for sharing your thoughts. It is important to understand that things that have been tried in the past do not precondition the future. For many years leading companies in the phone industry dismissed the use of touchscreens and when other companies figured out how to offer more value to customers through screen only devices the industry underwent a massive shift. For many years people thought that video calls were doomed to fail. When we make design decisions we start with people at the centre, not with technology. We have identified that the design of the interface is more important than the number of touchscreens when it comes to user experience. For the current and future use cases that we see our customers having to handle, we see a lot of value perfecting the right balance between physical and digital surfaces. In other words, we don’t stand still, we keep evolving our thoughts and perfecting our user experience. /Millie
@@VolvoCars If the focus is on people, not technology, then why do all the comments talk about the convenience of buttons and the request to return them, when Volvo continues to develop all-in-one screen. If UX is about the person, then why is people's opinion not heard. You're right, the transition from physical buttons to touch has taken place in the phones. But this is not quite a correct example, as the phone changed its core function from "calling and sending a message" to an entertainment device. At the time of the appearance of large screens, there was a whole infrastructure for this. There were applications, it was clear why, and the transition to touch screens was a logical step. In automotive industry, the transition from physical buttons to display looks more like technology for the sake of technology or reducing costs, because it offers nothing to the user. Many years have passed since Tesla introduced their touchscreen interface, but (you will laugh), almost all owners still prefer physical buttons after 6 years and I think this is an answer to the question of purpose.
I am an XC90 II driver. Unfortunately, no matter how glossy the UX is, I would never evolve to EX90 because (a) it's a pure EV, which I believe will fail to go mainstream in the UK. Car manufacturers who do not hedge their bets and only pursue a pure EV strategy will lose big time in their headlong push into EV investments. (b) the rear design looks too much like the Polestar and design just looks odd.
I really hope some of this design philosophy trickles down to the current crop of Volvo AAOS cars already on the road. My V60 Polestar Engineered could use some ❤
these videos are brilliant. One thing they are promoting the brand through design. The other they are educating the public to want good design. More brands not just cars should do this
Brilliant, finally a brand that understands what Tesla has done right, getting rid of all those damn physical buttons... I might just be getting this over a Model Y!
We have owned Volvos for the past 20 years starting with v50 / c30 rd / 2 x xc70 / v70 / v60 insc / xc60rd. My son has had xc70 / v60 / v90 or. So as you can see we are well versed in driving Volvo’s across all models however I’m very sad to say we won’t be continuing with Volvo ownerships due to the direction in which volvo is moving. I’ve always thought of Volvos as being unique in their design. Not just replicas of every other current car we see on the roads today but I’m sad to say that they are just following a kind of dictatorship that says we must go electric, we must have one big ugly TV screen that controls everything. What happened to the beautiful dashboard design that had separate quality controls that you could use whilst still driving safely. Now we have large screens that you have to stare at and tap like a mad fool if you want to alter the temperature or change radio stations. Also what happens if the screen goes off, you loose all your controls not just the radio. I always thought Volvo’s were the leaders in safety but after owning these newer models I can tell you that the single screen design is not the future. It may be a cost saving for Volvo but I know many other Volvo owners who feel the same as myself.
Amazing. I only wish if all volvo sw experts could also repair 2022 sw update of my V90cc. Now I am unable to open the windows from inside when the engine is not started (ignition 1 mode). I cannot imagine better improvement in sw update…
Hi there Marek, we are sorry to hear that you're having trouble with your Volvo V90. We recommend that you keep in touch with your local Volvo service centre so that this can be raised further. /Anthony
Please, please, please ! Add a shortcut on the main screen to select drive modes on actual (Not EX) models, MHEV and Recharge. It’s a pain in the ass to must go in a sub-menu. That’s the opposite of ergonomic thinking
So these guys and women are responsible for why I have to put on blinkers to get sound from my infotainment. Almost three years and they can’t fix it. No wonder ex90 is late because of software. These people are more concerned with their personal presentation than actually doing work.
The new Volvos are beautiful, it's a pity that they are only electric, you are making a big mistake by switching completely to electric, other brands are already quietly withdrawing from electric cars and returning to traditional engines.
Hi, the end of diesel production is a milestone in Volvo Car’s journey to pure electrification by 2030, and net zero greenhouse gas emissions 2040. In 2023, we increased our sales of fully electric cars by 70 per cent versus 2022, representing 16 per cent of our total global sales volume. Compared to 2022, we increased our global electric market share by 34 per cent. (This is based on only two fully electric models. 2024, three new models in three new segments will hit the roads - EX30, EX90 and EM90). /Jade
Producers face no choice other than joining the electrification stream. It's China leading the game, and no one stands a chance unless he crosses to the other side.
As an owner of V90 on Volvo Android Automotive platfrom I can guarantee you that it SUCKS. Its such a disappointment that Volvo is not leveraging platform like this properly. No meaningful updates for over a year and minimal configuration options in a car. you wouldn't believe that you can't even change style of your driver's display or data that is displayed there. It's embarrassing that Volvos Android based platform that is over two years in the market has much less functionality than their own legacy Sensu platform.
Hello, we are sorry to hear about your experience. Please contact our global customer care team if you would like to discuss this further. You can email them at international@volvocars.com. /Millie
@@VolvoCarsAnd that is your standard answer to everything! Global customer care team. Nope get the engineers to fix it. Vibration in my steering wheel can’t apparently be fixed. It’s been nearly 18 months and they have no idea.
The software in volvo cars is preposterous. Having a C40 with major soft issues was the moment I realized I'll never purchase another Volvo car again. Overpriced for the customer experience and lack of support.
As an XC60 2024 owner, I find the Google Automotive experience unfulfilled. The RU-vid and RU-vid Music experiences feel incomplete while nobody cares, evolves it. The support for Mandarin Chinese voice commands is meant to be missing. The integration between hardware buttons and software is full of compromises, and the system often lags or crashes. As a luxury car brand, I hope you can deliver on your promise of an exceptional user experience, rather than releasing a product filled with compromises. The car experience is good but the Google Automative experiences, hmm, only Google Map can meet Google standard.
Hearing the Volvo team is poeting thr new UX to current models, looking forward to that. Please bring us the Traditional Mandarin support of Google assistant. If you can't do it, just enable the Android auto support for my Pixel phones.
I like all Volvo cars and also heavy Vehicles(Truck, Buses, etc.) I decided to buy XC90 and EX40 in 2025. I just waiting for Volvo upgrade our XC90 (new features). Only Volvo❤ Love from India 🇮🇳❤
You guys are a little late to the party. About 8-10 years late. Here are some points : - XC90 had several price tiers, while the EX90 is too expensive. - Kia EV9 was put on the market !BEFORE! EX90, that's a gut punch for a company that has over 100 years history, what a shame. - Do I need to mention Tesla ? You can almost buy 2 Model Y's (after incentives) for the cost of 1 EX90 in USA. By the time EX90 hits the road we will have a refreshed Model Y in 2025 (most likely). This is coming from someone that has a 2016 XC90 currently and is a potential EV buyer.
Nothing in this video can be repaired by a mechanic anymore. That entire touchscreen and/or its backend processor will be thrown away if there's a single fault.
Valvo distributed Polestar shares for free to its shareholders so that they would sell and the share price would fall in order to destroy it, because the Polestar fleet is very attractive, luxurious, faster, longer-distance, and with the same technology as Valvo, but it will survive and outperform Valvo with certainty. It is the luxury brand of Valvo.
My last car, unfortunately from the Volvo brand, is the XC90 that I am currently driving. By canceling the diesel, I have to change the brand. Here in Austria, the electrical infrastructure is minimal. And vacationing in Croatia with an electric car is unimaginable.
Hi there. These events mark a huge milestone in Volvo Cars’ 97-year history. With this move, we’re taking a big step towards our ambitions of becoming a fully electric car maker, as well as achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. /Niamh
@@VolvoCars i am kinda curious how electric cars with batteries make less pollution than gas, considering from which materials they are made, how they are extracted and where and how they are utilized 😅
@@MrDrugmx it’s all about efficiency, over the lifetime of the car so much energy is saved that it offsets emissions made by its creation. EV driving per mile uses less electricity than equivalent gasoline driving, because it uses so much energy to crack the oil and pump it around the world. I’m inclined to trust pro-EV studies more than anti-EV studies as there are multi-billion dollar oil companies that fund the anti-EV ones and EV companies are just not rich enough to fund that sort of propaganda.
@@MrDrugmx I’ve just done the maths (this is for a Tesla Model 3) - using the current UK grid’s carbon per kWH (2pm on a Friday), the Model 3 will make just under 3g/km of CO2. “Eco friendly” petrol cars make about 30x more than that, big SUVs about 60x more.
You mean poor car build quality, explosing batteries, jenky inside material? At least the UX is based off google instead of going rogue and not having any compatibility XD.