In a car market that feels increasingly hostile to user choice, Volvo has just stepped up as the voice of reason we desperately needed. While some major competitors – looking at you, General Motors – are busy tearing out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in favor of their own proprietary systems, Volvo has drawn a line in the sand. In a recent conversation with The Drive, Volvo’s chief engineering and technology officer, Anders Bell, made it crystal clear: the Swedish automaker will “absolutely” keep supporting these third-party platforms across their lineup, including their new electric vehicles.
This is a massive relief for anyone who has ever sat in a rental car, stared at a confusing, sluggish infotainment screen, and wished they could just use Google Maps from their phone. Volvo’s stance is refreshingly simple: they believe in fitting into your digital life, not forcing you to upend it just because you bought their car. Bell’s comments highlight a philosophy that seems to be vanishing in the tech world – respecting the customer’s habits. If you live in the Apple ecosystem, your car should extend that, not fight against it.
The context here is important
Recently, GM made headlines for its controversial decision to ditch CarPlay in its future EVs, betting that customers would eventually learn to love their built-in software (and the subscription fees that likely come with it). Critics, and frankly most drivers, hate this idea. We have spent years building our playlists, saving our favorite destinations, and getting used to the interface of our phones. Asking us to abandon that muscle memory for a manufacturer’s “native experience” – which, let’s be honest, often lags years behind Silicon Valley tech – is a big ask.
Volvo, on the other hand, is playing it smart. They aren’t abandoning their own tech; in fact, Volvo’s native interface (often built on Google’s Android Automotive OS) is actually one of the better ones out there. But they understand that “good” isn’t the same as “familiar.” By keeping CarPlay and Android Auto, they are offering the best of both worlds. They are even adding native apps like Apple Music directly into the car’s system for those who want high-quality audio without plugging in, but they aren’t taking away the projection option.
For the average buyer, this is going to be a huge deciding factor
In markets like the US, CarPlay isn’t just a perk; for many, it is a dealbreaker. If you are cross-shopping a Chevy Blazer EV against a Volvo EX30, the fact that one lets you seamlessly access your iMessage and Waze while the other forces you to learn a whole new operating system is going to tip the scales.
Ultimately, this move positions Volvo as the “adult in the room.” They seem to understand that a car is a tool to get you from A to B, not a walled garden designed to harvest your data or sell you subscriptions. By prioritizing what works for the driver rather than what works for the corporate bottom line, Volvo might just win over a whole generation of frustrated tech-savvy buyers who just want their maps to work.