With generation two of Pilot Assist, the system now offers semi-autonomous driving functionality up to 130 km/h (81 mph) and no longer needs a lead car. This means that Pilot Assist will be increasingly useful on long motorway trips where the road markings are clearly visible.

The driver can override the system at any time by using either the brake pedal, accelerator pedal or steering wheel. The turn indicator can be used to temporarily abort the steering support if the driver wants to change lane.

Pilot Assist is automatically switched off if the driver does not keep a hand on the steering wheel.

Pilot Assist is selected and activated by the driver using the steering wheel buttons on the left side of the steering wheel. Adaptive Cruise Control settings like time gap and set speed are available and the driver display shows necessary status information, i.e. steering support on/off. If the system for some reason must be turned off, the driver receives a warning.

PowerPulse. The XC90 will also be available with PowerPulse (earlier post) on the D5 powertrain. PowerPulse system, launched in the 90 series, is designed to eliminate turbo lag on diesels. The system adds an electric compressor and pressurized 2L air tank to the powertrain.

PowerPulse takes fresh air via the air filter, compresses it and stores it in the tank. When the driver accelerates rapidly, a valve opens and the compressed air is released into the exhaust manifold, feeding the turbo and creating an instant spool-up. The air in the tank is topped up automatically. Volvo Cars is the only car maker currently using such technology in production cars.

City Safety updated. Volvo has also expanded its safety technology to cover one of the most common causes of single vehicle accidents with Run-off road mitigation, which uses auto-steer to help keep you on the road. Volvo’s standard collision avoidance system, City Safety, also receives an update with Large Animal Detection added on 90 Series cars.

90 Series connectivity updates. Volvo’s in-car connectivity and driver interface system, Sensus, will receive several new native apps across the range for 2016, including Spotify and Park and Pay. Park and Pay provides Volvo owners with the convenience of finding and paying for parking when desired.

Connected Service Booking, which allows workshop booking and reminders from the Sensus interface, will be added along with improved Internet Maps, TuneIn, Local Search and Yelp applications. Record & Send, a new voice recording app will also be added enabling drivers to make a voice note that they can send to themselves as reminders.

60 Series cars. The 60 Series cars will receive significant updates for 2016. Volvo’s award-winning four cylinder T5 gasoline engine delivering 245 hp and 350 N·m of torque mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, will now come with all-wheel drive on all 60 Series cars.

The S60 Cross Country will now be available with the D3 engine in relevant diesel markets.

Volvo On Call. The Volvo On Call smartphone app, which allows remote access and control over a wide range of in-car features, receives a substantial update. Volvo On Call already delivers wearable connectivity (Apple Watch/Android Wear) and now Microsoft Band 2 connectivity, enabling voice-control for certain features when using Windows 10-based smartphones.

Other updates to Volvo On Call include a calendar integration function that connects a personal calendar to the mobile app, allowing it to send calendar appointment destinations directly to navigation on request. For 2016, Volvo On Call will broaden its scope and provide support for up to 10 Volvo vehicles, giving access to all the usual functions across a fleet of cars.

Volvo will also introduce Flic button compatibility with Volvo On Call. Flic allows you to program a single physical smart button to perform several tasks, such as lock your car or to start/stop pre-heating and can be used as a shortcut to Volvo On Call services.

Volvo now also offers support for Windows 10 with a new version of the Volvo On Call application that can be used on regular PCs and tablets to interact with your car.