Volvo Trucks has completed the North American rollout of its “lock and leave” software update capability, giving drivers the ability to start an over-the-air update and leave the truck while the installation takes place.
The feature is now available across the United States and Canada. Instead of making a separate trip to a service center, drivers can initiate an update while taking a break, parked at a depot or stopped overnight, then return to a truck with its software updated and ready for operation.
“As software plays a greater role in improving uptime, updating the software should be as easy and convenient as possible. Now a driver can lock and leave their truck while the update runs during a break and return to a truck that is up to date and ready to go to work,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America.
The new capability builds on Volvo’s Remote Programming system, which the manufacturer has been developing for several years.
In 2018, Volvo expanded Remote Programming to allow eligible North American trucks equipped with factory-installed connectivity hardware to receive software and parameter updates remotely through a cellular connection. The system was designed to allow updates to be completed while drivers were on breaks or while trucks were at a depot, reducing the need for visits to a service center.
Volvo expanded the system again in 2023, increasing its capabilities to cover six programmable vehicle modules. At that time, more than 40,000 software updates had already been completed through Remote Programming, according to the company.
Connectivity becomes central to truck software
The role of connectivity has expanded further with Volvo’s newer truck platforms. The VNL, introduced in 2024, was designed with expanded connected services supporting over-the-air software updates as well as remote diagnostics.
Volvo has subsequently increased the number of trucks receiving software updates through its connected systems. In March, the company reported that the proportion of its connected North American trucks running the latest software had climbed from 25% to more than 80% over a six-month period.
During the same period, Volvo reported a 24% reduction in unplanned stops among trucks running the latest software.
The scale of the update operation has also grown. Volvo said more than 7,500 updates were completed in August, while its connected systems have the capacity to dispatch as many as 20,000 software updates per day.
The technology can be used to update several truck systems, including engine performance, transmission and battery management.
For fleets, however, the value of the system goes beyond the software itself. The ability to perform updates while a truck is already stopped means operators can avoid taking vehicles out of service specifically for software-related maintenance.
Updates during scheduled downtime
The distinction is particularly important in trucking, where vehicles can be in operation for eight to 11 hours per day, according to Volvo.
Rather than adding another service appointment to a truck’s schedule, drivers can launch an update during an existing break or overnight stop. Once the installation is complete, the truck can return to service without the additional downtime that would otherwise be associated with a service-center visit.
Volvo has described over-the-air updates as a way of keeping trucks “current” while minimizing interruptions to their normal operation.
The “lock and leave” capability therefore represents an extension of an existing system rather than an entirely new software platform. Volvo’s June announcement characterized the unattended update function as an evolution of Remote Programming, enabled by the company’s connected 24-volt platform in North America.
A shift toward software-based truck maintenance
The rollout also highlights the broader transformation taking place across the commercial vehicle industry as trucks become increasingly dependent on software.
Historically, software was largely treated as something installed when a truck was manufactured or updated during a service visit. Connected vehicle platforms are changing that model by allowing manufacturers to maintain and improve vehicle software throughout the truck’s operating life.
For fleets, this can mean fewer routine dealership or service-center visits for software-related work, while drivers can complete updates without adding dedicated downtime to their schedules.
The latest Volvo system is designed around that operational reality: the truck can remain parked during a scheduled break or overnight stop while the update runs, and the driver can leave rather than wait for the process to finish.
Why this matters
For fleet operators, the main advantage of “lock and leave” is the potential reduction in downtime associated with software updates. Drivers can initiate an update during a scheduled break or overnight stop and leave the vehicle while the installation is completed.
As more truck functions become software-dependent, the ability to update systems remotely could also reduce the need for routine service-center visits for software-related work, helping fleets keep vehicles available for their regular operating schedules.
