Unwanted Car Software Update

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

Earlier this week a notice appeared on my Volvo XC60 console screen inviting me to schedule a software update. Foolishly, I accepted the request thinking it would be a minor ‘tweak’ to the engine management as had happened before. Not this time! When I went to start the car again everything had changed, the dashboard appearance, the centre-console screen had completely changed and worse, some of the features I had before such as voice commands no longer worked, nor could I connect to the car my wi-fi router or phone Bluetooth. It must have been connected previously for the download to take place, yes?

I contacted the Volvo dealer from whom I bought the car and the service department talked me through a series of procedures to reset the system, to no avail. So now I have had to book it in to the service department, which entails a 70 mile round trip, two bridge tolls and losing the best part of a day when I have better things to do. Plus, I stated to the the dealer that as it is Volvo that has caused this issue, I did not expect to be charged for any remedial work only to be told that if they cannot claim the cost back from Volvo I will have to pay.

To say I am very annoyed about being placed in this predicament would be an understatement. How dare the manufacturer do this without any warning or advance information as to what the new software would provide or choice as to whether it was wanted or not? I was quite happy with the product I bought and it should have been my decision as to what was going to be done to MY car! Since this regrettable situation has arisen, I have searched online and, yes, there is news of the new software and all the claptrap about an enhanced driver experience, except that it isn’t, it’s ruddy awful and dangerously distracting, IMO. I can’t be alone because there will be literally 1000’s of post 2022 XC60’s out there that have received this unsolicited software and I just hope that Volvo get a great deal of negative feedback on this unwarranted exercise.

(p.s. I have driven various models of Volvo cars for at least the last 40-years and was thinking of changing my current car, but if this how Volvo are starting to treat their loyal customers, I think I may well be changing to another manufacturer)

 

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

You do know that Volvo is owned by a Chinese company?

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

Robert, your point being?

[NealebParticipant @nealeb]

Funny you should mention this. Driving a reasonable distance yesterday, my wife and I could not find anything on the radio so wanted to pick something off the memory stick that was plugged in, except that the media player app seems to have disappeared from the screen. No idea what has happened but maybe an over-the-air software update. Hadn’t thought of that one! I guess that’s what happens when you drive a car where you no longer insert a key and turn it – you sit in the driving seat and log in. Audi not Volvo but I assume that this kind of thing is general in most newish cars.

You may not need a WiFi or Bluetooth connection for an update to happen. My own car has a SIM card buried in there somewhere so it can do updates, etc, over the phone network all by itself. That’s how the car picks up traffic news as well. The thing is basically a computer with wheels attached.

[Chris Crew]

On Chris Crew Said:

Robert, your point being?

It’s not the same company you bought from 40 years ago. 25 years ago you were buying from Ford.

Robert.

[Graham MeekParticipant @grahammeek88282]

Having recently changed my 14 year old car for a newer automatic model I find I am overwhelmed with technology. The things this car will do for me, if I allow it, makes me wonder who is the driver. Most of the technology will never get used.

As regards Loyalty, the only company who I have found to value the customer is the NFU. (Usual disclaimer, just one satisfied customer).

Regards

Gray,

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Keep an eye on yuk social media for a class action to recover costs.

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

Joining the Volvo owners forum may help, it sounds like the update lost all of the original settings while resetting to showroom status. There should have been warnings showing before committing yourself.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Loke all things computerised, it is simple for the person who wrote the code.

For less knowledgeable beings, it just makes complcated.

(I have a friend who makes part of his living from reversing ” improvements made their cars, by supposed experts, which cause all sorts of problems once the “try before you buy” runs out.)

Fortunately, our cars, although electronically far too complicated for home maintainence, have proved to be reliable, even while well out of warranty. Still going strong at 12 years old. But they were bought beacause of their reputation for reliability and durability, and not designed in China.

And you wonder why I prefer nuts and bolts to programs?

Howard

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Hey Chris:- Think of how much you would have had to pay for a trained engineer/technician/mechanic/monkey to rip out the dashboard and install new instruments. You got that for nothing. 😀

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

Mark, your post misses the mark, if you will pardon the pun. The point is that I did not want a new a dashboard display, or if I did it should have been my personal choice just as with any other ‘purchase’.

But this raises a new point for everybody, may be even yourself if you drive a fairly new car, and this is who actually owns the software that runs the car? Just like myself I assumed anyone who buys a car is under the impression that they actually own it. But, as you will probably know, you don’t ‘buy’ computer software, MS Office, TurboCad etc., what you buy is a license to use it on your computer. The code, if not the data you generate, remains the property of the software producer.

So it has crossed my mind for the first time that do I actually own the whole of this car or just the ‘hardware’ as in the case of the laptop upon which I am composing this post? I suspect, after this regrettable incident, that the answer is now probably ‘No!’ I don’t own the ‘whole’ of this car but what was included in the price of the vehicle was a transferrable software licence to allow it to be driven.

 

[Robert Atkinson 2]

On Robert Atkinson 2 Said:

On Chris Crew Said:

Robert, your point being?

It’s not the same company you bought from 40 years ago. 25 years ago you were buying from Ford.

Robert.

I guess Robert is being ironic!  He’s reminding us of the Ford Pinto scandal, an egregious example of utter contempt for customers, far worse than Volvo’s changes to the display!

(Briefly, Ford sold a badly designed car where a rear-end shunt would burst the badly designed petrol tank, greatly increasing the risk of incinerating the occupants.  And then decided it was cheaper to pay off victims than to fix the car, leading to over a hundred court cases, heavy costs, and massive reputational damage. )

My sympathies are with Chris. though  Volvo’s unwanted upgrade has roughed him up good and proper.  Cosmetic software changes of dubious value to the customer have been around for donkey’s tears, and weren’t invented by the Chinese! Worst offender in my opinion is Microsoft, see Windows 11!

Dave

[Chris Crew]

On Chris Crew Said:

Mark, your post misses the mark, if you will pardon the pun. The point is that I did not want a new a dashboard display, or if I did it should have been my personal choice just as with any other ‘purchase’.

But this raises a new point for everybody, may be even yourself if you drive a fairly new car, and this is who actually owns the software that runs the car? Just like myself I assumed anyone who buys a car is under the impression that they actually own it. But, as you will probably know, you don’t ‘buy’ computer software, MS Office, TurboCad etc., what you buy is a license to use it on your computer. The code, if not the data you generate, remains the property of the software producer.

So it has crossed my mind for the first time that do I actually own the whole of this car or just the ‘hardware’ as in the case of the laptop upon which I am composing this post? I suspect, after this regrettable incident, that the answer is now probably ‘No!’ I don’t own the ‘whole’ of this car but what was included in the price of the vehicle was a transferrable software licence to allow it to be driven.

 

And what happens if the manufacturer decides “your” hardware is no longer good enough to run “their” software and you can no longer use the car or it’s capabilities are restricted?
Far fetched? Maybe, but it already happens with mobile phones, computers, tablets and E-readers.

Robert.

[Chris Crew]

On Chris Crew Said:

Mark, your post misses the mark, if you will pardon the pun. The point is that I did not want a new a dashboard display, or if I did it should have been my personal choice just as with any other ‘purchase’.

But this raises a new point for everybody, may be even yourself if you drive a fairly new car, and this is who actually owns the software that runs the car? Just like myself I assumed anyone who buys a car is under the impression that they actually own it. But, as you will probably know, you don’t ‘buy’ computer software, MS Office, TurboCad etc., what you buy is a license to use it on your computer. The code, if not the data you generate, remains the property of the software producer.

So it has crossed my mind for the first time that do I actually own the whole of this car or just the ‘hardware’ as in the case of the laptop upon which I am composing this post? I suspect, after this regrettable incident, that the answer is now probably ‘No!’ I don’t own the ‘whole’ of this car but what was included in the price of the vehicle was a transferrable software licence to allow it to be driven.

 

The farming community has already seen that it is the manufacturer who can control the machine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtzuqkG_jN4

 

[Andrew CrowParticipant @andrewcrow91475]

Sadly we now live in a world where we no longer fully own or control equipment we buy.

All our Smart Speakers, Computers, Smart Watches, Mobile phones and now the software in cars is constantly updated beyond our control or desire.

Shades of “Big brother is watching you”.

Andy

[paul1956Participant @paul1956]

you can no longer use the car or it’s capabilities are restricted?

Already happening now;
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/14/nissan-leaf-app-shutdown-nissanconnect-ev-app

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

This is the dénouement to this sorry saga and applies particularly to Volvo cars but I wouldn’t be surprised if it applies to other manufacturers also. I took the car to the dealership from whence it came and was informed that the disabled features require an internet connection to function. Apparently, all new Volvo cars (mine is 2022) come with a 4-year internet access ‘contract’ which is presumably via a SIM or eSIM somewhere in the car, and utilises cloud computing. After the 4-year grace period, if you wish to continue using the facilities, you have to pay a £99/year subscription and if you sell or trade the car in the meantime your subscription that you have paid for disappears with the car!

None of this was explained to me by the dealership when I bought the car but in fairness it may be a new ‘scam’ since the software update and may not have been known to them at the time. I received no notification from Volvo UK and I certainly didn’t enter into any data contract when I bought the car. I did email Volvo UK expressing my dissatisfaction with the situation only to receive the usual PR claptrap and in essence stated ‘final answer, so what?’.

There is a ‘work around’ that was explained to me and activated by the dealership which entails using your mobile phone’s internet connectivity via Bluetooth (but it’s not tethering apparently) but this eats quite heavily into your phone contract data allocation, although I am fortunate to have a massive monthly allowance at a very reasonable price because I do not use a provider that advertises on TV.

But this does not detract from the fact that the full functionality of the car is only available when I and my phone are in the car. If my wife was driving alone the internet connectivity would not be available unless she hooked her phone up to the car also and uses her data allowance.

So be aware of this latest ‘scam’ if you have a Volvo car under 4-years old or very possibly any other manufacturer. I have a good mind to contact the BBC Watchdog program!

 

 

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Modern cars are full of facilities that many do not use and do not need.

My wife was taken ill, (Thankfully, with a short term, temporary problem).

When I came to take the car home it would not exceed 20 mph (On a busy arterial road!)

In removing her from car, someone had activated the speed limiter!

I had to find somwhere to pull over and disable it, to the relief of the heavy lorries who were itching to pass!

As Richard and his fellow “Hams” will say, ” KISS”

Howard

[Bill PhinnParticipant @billphinn90025]

I think anyone who buys a modern car must be a lot more patient than me, and also clever where I am not.

I take my hat off to them.

And I would probably take a stick to the car.

 

[James AParticipant @jamesalford67616]

We have had a similar problem with our 2018 VW Golf. When we bought it, second-hand, we told that there was no service book and that all service records were on-line in an account. We set up an account and, sure enough, there they were. At some point, linked we think to an update to the car’s “infotainment” system, the service record vanished. Contacting VW Customer Service resulted in them insisting that our records could never have been accessed on-line and that if we want a copy of the service history, to visit the dealership that did the work (on a VW Service Plan). The dealership has gone bust.

Not a happy bunny.

James.

[Adrian R2Participant @adrianr2]

I don’t have either of these cars but it caught my interest (this board is more interesting than Sudoku etc)

Volvo – Seems there is an expired PSIM hidden somewhere, perhaps in the boot, and that you can replace it with your own to restore some services.

VW – There is a new app which will give you access to the records but you have to visit a dealer in person with your documentation to activate it. Skoda and Seat use the same system.

Much joy.

[SillyOldDuffer]

On SillyOldDuffer Said:

On Robert Atkinson 2 Said:

On Chris Crew Said:

Robert, your point being?

It’s not the same company you bought from 40 years ago. 25 years ago you were buying from Ford.

Robert.

I guess Robert is being ironic!  He’s reminding us of the Ford Pinto scandal, an egregious example of utter contempt for customers, far worse than Volvo’s changes to the display!

 

I think he’s just pointing out that Ford owned Volvo from 1999-2010 any loyalty to Volvo for being Swedish is a quarter-century out of date.

[Chris CrewParticipant @chriscrew66644]

I actually couldn’t care less who owns the company, my loyalty to Volvo stems from 1985 when I could finally afford a ‘decent’ car, rather than the 15-20-year old garbage I spent most of my weekends under just to be able to get to work on a Monday. It was a 2-year old Volvo 240 and I got 299,000 miles out of it without any issues, save a few oil changes and tyres. I traded it 5-years later for a Volvo 740 estate automatic that did 301,000 miles before the torque converter gave in. I had a company car for a few years, not Volvo’s, but when I took a voluntary redundancy the first thing I did was buy a decent V70, then a V90, then an XC60 and the rest is history!

[george baker 1Participant @georgebaker1]

Hi

I’m told when you buy a Mercedes you pay to activate additional features.  When you sell the extra optional additional features  are disabled until the new owner pays

 

Not like the old days when you paid to have extra features fitted and they stayed there when you sold.

 

George

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Another issue with some modern software “enabled” and network connected cars is how much information they are sending “home” apparently this can include images from onboard cameras.
The American military has banned some from certain bases and there are recent reports that the Special Boat Service has restricted some from their base in Poole.

Robert.

[Author]

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