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| Analysts see the design of the new Volvo EX60 as the car that Apple actually wanted to build. |
It was the automotive dream that vanished overnight. In February 2024, Apple officially shut down Project Titan, silencing years of speculation about a revolutionary, minimalist, software-driven iCar. The tech world mourned a vision unrealized. But from the ashes of that canceled project, an unexpected successor has quietly rolled onto the stage, and it doesn’t come from Cupertino. It comes from Gothenburg.
According to a compelling new analysis by European automotive research expert Matthias Schmidt, the vehicle meant to fill the Apple-shaped hole in the market is already here: the Volvo EX60.
The DNA of a Disrupted Dream
Schmidt argues that Volvo's upcoming flagship EV doesn’t just chase trends—it embodies the exact philosophy that Apple promised. The design is a masterclass in cool, Nordic minimalism: functional, elegant, and unmistakably modern. But as Schmidt points out, the true magic is under the digital skin.
"What Apple promised with the 'software-defined vehicle,' Volvo is now delivering with the EX60," the analysis suggests. This isn't just an electric car with over-the-air updates. It’s a platform designed to evolve, to learn, and to mature—much like the iPhone in your pocket.
A Car That Grows Smarter in Your Garage
The core promise of the Apple Car was a seamless blend of legendary hardware safety with adaptive, intelligent software. Schmidt highlights that this is precisely the path Volvo is taking. The EX60 is engineered to constantly collect and learn from real-world data, particularly from driving situations and safety systems.
"Like a smartphone OS that matures over years, the EX60 is designed to improve while it sleeps," Schmidt observes. Its algorithms for collision avoidance, driver assistance, and safety become smarter, with updates delivered in real-time based on aggregated, anonymized fleet data. The car you buy today won't be the same car in two years; it will be safer, more efficient, and more capable.
This technical feat is powered by Volvo’s new SPA3 platform and its "Superset" tech stack, enabling what the company calls "progressive performance enhancement." Instead of locking all features at launch, Volvo can gradually unlock performance and introduce new functions only when vast pools of real-world data confirm there is no compromise to safety or reliability.
As Schmidt details in his latest report, this approach of fully exploiting hardware potential through maturing software has been an Apple trademark for over a decade. It represents a fundamental shift from selling a static product to cultivating a living, evolving ecosystem on wheels.
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| The digital center of the Volvo EX60: A large touchscreen and strict minimalism characterize the cockpit, entirely in the style of Apple's aesthetics. |
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| According to expert Matthias Schmidt, the Apple Car could have looked exactly like this: The Volvo EX60 relies on clean lines and Scandinavian characteristics. |
A Nostalgic Nod to Silicon Valley's Past
Schmidt’s analysis takes a surprisingly poignant turn, drawing a direct line from Apple’s founder to Volvo’s present. He recalls that while the late Steve Jobs was famously pictured in his silver Mercedes SL, a younger Jobs was seen behind the wheel of a Volvo station wagon in the 2013 biopic "Jobs."
"If he were still alive," Schmidt muses, "one could easily imagine him sitting behind the wheel of an EX60 today." It’s more than a casual observation; for the analyst, it signifies that Volvo’s brand—synonymous with safety and thoughtful design—has successfully transformed into a technologically advanced leader, now occupying the space many had reserved for Apple.
The New Benchmark
The cancellation of the Apple Car left a question: who would define the future of the intelligent, software-centric vehicle? According to Schmidt’s research, Volvo has provided a definitive answer. The EX60 isn't just another electric SUV. It’s a statement that the evolution of the automobile is no longer just about horsepower or battery size, but about synaptic networks, data, and continuous improvement.
In the end, the most Apple-like car of 2025 and beyond might not bear a fruit logo. It might just bear the familiar iron mark of Volvo, proving that sometimes, the future arrives from a different direction altogether.
Source : schmidtmatthias