Control Google Home devices from car and vice versa
Volvos getting YouTube for watching during charge breaks
Volvo has just announced it will be the first automaker to directly integrate its vehicles with Google Assistant in a move that allows for more connected home and vehicle services. It also means that you’ll soon get YouTube in your Volvo. The automaker is also beginning to validate its Ride Pilot autonomous driving feature, which could give you more time to watch those viral clips.
Google Assistant integration means you can use your Google Home devices to control vehicle features like climate control and unlocking. It will also allow controlling of home devices like a Nest thermostat or other connected home services (have your car answer the doorbell?). The system will roll out to all Android-powered Volvo vehicles in the coming months, and Volvo says it will see feature upgrades over time.
Volvo YouTube | Photo: Volvo CarsVolvo is collaborating with Qualcomm for its next generation of processors, meaning these systems will run on a much quicker infotainment system the automaker says will offer a best-in-class experience.
The Google collaboration will also see YouTube added to Volvos through Google Play. Volvo suggests that charging breaks are a great time to watch a clip or two, along with time spent waiting for take-out food. These days, just driving somewhere to park and sit and watch for an hour holds a lot of appeal.
For now, Volvo says it will only allow playback when stationary, but with Ride Pilot about to be introduced to users in California, that could change quickly.
Ride Pilot is Volvo’s completely autonomous drive platform, which it says is currently being validated in Europe and the US on real roads. Volvo says the “truly unsupervised autonomous driving feature” will be introduced in CA first before other markets. The system uses LiDar tech from Luminar, standard on Volvo’s “forthcoming fully electric SUV” set to be revealed later this year, and software from Zenseact. The feature will still need regulatory approval before being activated for customers.
