Customer Complaints Could Push Volvo Toward Key Card Exit
Volvo’s controversial decision to replace traditional key fobs with credit card-style keys in its EX30 and EX90 electric vehicles may be short-lived. Stephen Connor, Managing Director of Volvo Australia, revealed to Drive that the company is considering scrapping the key card system entirely based on customer feedback. It’s not hard to understand why owners are frustrated.
The key card requires a cumbersome two-step process. Users must tap it against the B pillar to unlock, then place it on the center console to start the vehicle. Connor admits customers don’t like the system, explaining that the company’s plan is to get people to use the phone as the key. The card is merely a backup plan. However, Volvo’s smartphone-first strategy has its own serious flaw.
Sorry Android Users, Your Volvo EX30 Only Speaks iPhone
The Volvo EX30 digital key currently works exclusively with iPhones and Apple Watches in the U.S. market, leaving Android users without seamless keyless entry. This iPhone-only limitation has sparked backlash among Android users, who represent approximately half of American smartphone owners. Without Android support for the Volvo EX30 phone key, these owners are forced to rely solely on the unpopular physical key card.
Volvo’s strategy miscalculation extends beyond technology compatibility. The subcompact EX30 was designed for buyers aged 24 to 50, a demographic expected to embrace smartphone-dependent vehicle access. Instead, Connor reveals that most buyers are in their fifties to eighties. This generation is less inclined toward eliminating traditional key fobs entirely, creating a fundamental mismatch between product design and actual customer needs.
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Traditional Key Fobs Can Make a Comeback for Volvo
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Whether Volvo will reverse course and reintroduce conventional key fobs for the EX30 keyless entry system remains unclear. The company could opt for over-the-air updates to improve the key card experience or expand smartphone compatibility to Android devices. For now, EX30 owners, particularly Android users, remain frustrated with a keyless system that’s neither convenient nor inclusive. Customer dissatisfaction has clearly forced Volvo to reconsider its digital-first approach to vehicle access.
