Volvo Cars and Google have unveiled a new step in their collaboration, showcasing how artificial intelligence can reshape the driving experience. At the Google I/O conference, the two companies presented a world-first demonstration of Google Gemini integrated with vehicle cameras in the Volvo EX60.
With the driver’s consent, Gemini can interpret the car’s surroundings in real time. This includes recalling road signs, understanding lane markings and providing information about nearby landmarks or restaurants. Parking illustrates the system’s potential. By reading signage instantly, it helps drivers understand restrictions, permits, time limits or charging rules, removing uncertainty about whether a space is valid.
Alwin Bakkenes, Head of Global Software Engineering at Volvo Cars, said: “The EX60 provides an ideal platform to explore the future of contextually aware driving experiences. Working closely with Google as a lead device partner allows us to help bring the latest advances in AI into the automotive environment faster and more collaboratively than ever before.”
The Gemini model’s multi-modal understanding, combined with the EX60’s neural processing engine and software-defined architecture, makes these features possible. This offers an early glimpse of how contextually aware AI could become part of everyday driving.
Volvo will also be among the first manufacturers to introduce Immersive Navigation from Google Maps. This new 3D view brings routes to life with redesigned buildings, tunnels and overpasses, making complex roads easier to interpret. The feature is particularly useful in dense urban areas where visibility is limited.
Immersive Navigation enhances voice guidance by referencing real-world landmarks. Drivers may hear instructions such as “Take the next left after the library,” aligning spoken directions with what they see. Patrick Brady, Vice President of Android for Cars at Google, noted: “In the future, Gemini will make your drive more helpful by allowing you to learn more about your surroundings while on the road. And with Immersive Navigation, we’re bringing Google Maps’ biggest update in over a decade to our drivers.”
The Volvo EX60, EX90 and ES90 will be the first models to feature Immersive Navigation, reflecting the ongoing partnership between Volvo and Google in shaping next-generation in-car intelligence.
Staff Writer
Reporting from the front lines of the automotive industry, delivering expert analysis and the technical updates that drive the South African motor sector forward.
