For now, at least.
The all-new 2024 Volvo EX90 EV SUV won't have any of its advanced safety technologies blocked by subscription services when it goes on sale in the coming months, according to Jalopnik. The Swedish automaker's new flagship has, among other impressive tech, a genius LiDAR sensor system integrated into the roof, a body panel infused with 16 ultrasonic sensors, a total of eight cameras, and another five radar modules.
All of these systems will come standard. In the future, Volvo says owners can unlock improvements and fixes via over-the-air updates, including self-driving capability at some point. That technology isn't ready yet.
Will Volvo force owners into the same subscription service-based business model we've seen from the likes of BMW and Volkswagen? The automaker's head of future vehicles, Gaurang Kalsaria, admitted he doesn't know.
“Honestly, we haven't really thought about how we're going to be offering all this new technology,” he said. “A lot of people are going that way, but it's still a decision we have to take. With subscriptions, we're not too sure what we're going to be doing there,” said Kalsaria.
Interestingly, this is somewhat in contrast to what another Volvo executive claimed back in December. Minor features won't be charged, like heated seats, but safety tech could be different. After all, Mercedes earned over $1 billion last year from software-based upgrades.
The good news, for now at least, is that the EX90's Luminar-developed LiDAR system will be functional straight out of the box. No additional fees. Nothing. This means owners will benefit from the real-time 360-degree view of the EV's surroundings “over two football fields away, even in complete darkness.”
It's the LiDAR system that makes the EX90 the first hardware-ready vehicle for semi-autonomous driving. Another first for Volvo is the SUV's bi-directional charging capability enabling it to power nearly any other electronic device, including other EVs and even houses.
Along with advanced safety tech, Volvo wants the EX90 to be as green as possible. Its sustainably-sourced interior utilizes 110 pounds of recycled and responsibly sourced materials such as wood and wool.
Volvo also has a new material called “Nordico” that covers the seats instead of traditional leather. Rather than animal skin, Nordico is made from recycled materials like PET bottles and biomaterial from Swedish and Finnish forests. The floor mats are made from 100% recycled nylon, which includes abandoned fish netting reclaimed from oceans.
The EX90 sounds like an overall very impressive vehicle that will begin at less than $80,000. But, customers must bear in mind Volvo's indecisiveness regarding subscriptions. Being locked into them for a vehicle's lifespan won't come cheap.
Keyword: 2024 Volvo EX90's Hi-Tech Safety Features Won't Be Held Hostage To Subscriptions