Upcoming Volvos May Come with This Peculiar Bump on the Roof

The next-generation of Volvo cars will come with this little bump on the roof. Now, before you think that it’s a rally-inspired scoop of some kind, it’s actually LiDAR tech which should enable full self-driving technology, at least for highways.

Volvo’s next-generation of vehicles, underpinned by a new modular architecture called SPA 2 will be hardware-ready for autonomous drive as they roll off the production line in 2022. Tech firm Luminar will provide the LiDAR equipment which will be integrated into the roof.

Volvo says that cars based on the SPA 2 architecture will be updated with software over the air, and if customers decide to opt for it, the Highway Pilot feature that enables fully autonomous highway driving will be activated once it is verified to be safe for individual geographic locations and conditions.

In addition to the Highway Pilot feature, Volvo Cars and Luminar are also exploring LiDAR’s role in improving future advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Potentially, all future SPA 2-based cars will come with the LiDAR sensor as standard.

Luminar’s technology is based on its high-performance LiDAR sensors, which emit millions of pulses of laser light to accurately detect where objects are by scanning the environment in 3D, creating a temporary, real-time map without requiring internet connectivity.

LiDAR is key in creating cars that can navigate safely in autonomous mode, providing them with the reliable vision and perception that cameras and radar alone cannot provide. LiDAR is the ideal basis for safe decision-making in complex environments at high speeds.

To enable the Highway Pilot feature, Luminar’s perception technology will be combined with autonomous drive software and the cameras, radars and back-up systems for functions such as steering, braking and battery power installed on forthcoming Volvo cars equipped for self-driving. Put together, this gives Volvo users who want it access to a safe, fully self-driving feature for use on highways.

As part of the announcement, Volvo Cars and Luminar are deepening their collaboration to jointly ensure robust industrialization and validation of Luminar’s LiDAR technology for series production. Volvo Cars has also signed an agreement to possibly increase its minority stake in Luminar.

For Silicon Valley-based Luminar, partnering with Volvo Cars represents the company’s first delivery of its technology into series production. This is a key step to achieving the economies of scale that are required to bring the technology to the wider automotive industry.

Volvo Cars is Committing to Long-Term Plans, Cuts 1,300 Jobs to Make It Happen

Despite a recent survey detailing that consumer confidence in EVs and autonomous driving is dropping, Volvo Cars is still pushing ahead with their business transformation plans in a bid to cement their long-term growth.

Volvo still aims to transform its business and center it around online, electrification, autonomous drive, and new mobility models. And while the company has invested and grown substantially in these areas, it now aims to reduce in non-focus areas to support further growth longer-term. This includes the reduction of 1,300 jobs at its Swedish operations.

The move aims to make Volvo Cars more agile, reducing hierarchies that are slowing down decision-making and execution.

The Swedish carmaker says that the realignment was really part of the company’s long-term ambitions, but the COVID-19 pandemic has simply accelerated the measures.

“The coronavirus pandemic is affecting us in the short term, but we expect volumes and growth to return,” says Hanna Fager, Volvo’s head of People Experience. “So we need to continue investing in our ongoing transformation and new business areas, by reducing structural costs.”

Volvo to Re-Start Production Despite COVID-19 Threat

Volvo Cars is restarting production at its Torslanda plant in Sweden on Monday, April 20, following a short period of downtime related to the coronavirus pandemic.

The company, which has taken the decision to reopen following a dialogue with relevant labor unions, will also welcome back office workers to its Swedish offices on Monday. Both the plant and offices have been prepared in recent weeks to be as safe as possible for people to return in a way that safeguards their health.

A constant, close dialogue with all partners and suppliers aims to secure continued production amid ongoing yet reducing disruptions in the supply chain. Production volumes in Torslanda will be adjusted to meet demand in the market as well as existing order books.

“We have a responsibility towards our employees and our suppliers to restart operations now that the situation allows it,” said Håkan Samuelsson, chief executive. “The best thing we can do to help society is to find ways to restart the company in a safe way, thereby safeguarding people’s health and their jobs.”

Before the return of staff on Monday, all facilities have been cleaned extensively, while sanitation and cleaning routines have been intensified and voluntary temperature and pulse oximeter (to test the amount of oxygen in the blood) checks will be offered at main entrances.

In recent weeks, company officials have reviewed every single working station in the Torslanda plant from a health and safety perspective, and where social distancing is not possible, other protective measures have been put in place.

In Swedish office buildings the layout in all meeting rooms, office spaces and restaurants has been adjusted where necessary to allow for social distancing, for example by ensuring that desks are placed appropriately and limiting the number of people allowed in meeting rooms and restaurants.

As for the other sites in Volvo Cars’ global manufacturing network, the Ghent, Belgium plant will also reopen on Monday, April 20, but at reduced production output. The company currently plans to reopen its South Carolina plant in the United States on Monday, May 11.

The engine plant in Skövde, Sweden and the body component manufacturing site in Olofström, Sweden will continue to plan their production on a weekly basis and adapt according to needs in the other plants.

Office workers in other markets will continue to follow local guidelines, but Volvo Cars health and safety officials hope that learnings from the Swedish facilities can be implemented elsewhere as well.

Volvo Cars will continue to make use of the support package introduced by the Swedish government earlier this year, which means a continued reduction of working time for most employees. The welcome support by the government allows Volvo Cars to protect its fundamentally healthy business until markets stabilize.

Volvo's Polestar Just Re-Invented the Side View Mirrors

It’s not everyday that a carmaker can claim that they’ve re-invented the side view mirror, but that’s exactly what happened with Volvo’s performance-oriented all-electric brand, Polestar.

Despite all the advancements in automotive tech, side view mirrors have remained largely the same for quite some time. Sure, some carmakers have started tinkering by replacing the mirrors with outboard cameras, but because this is still largely untested tech, some countries still haven’t certified them.

Enter Polestar’s compromise: the frameless side view mirror. Part of Polestar’s signature design features that include pixel LED headlights and an illuminated logo reflected on the panoramic glass roof, this new kind of side view mirror happens to meet not just worldwide regulatory requirements, but they also help improve fuel efficiency and reduce wind noise.

Polestar explains that their frameless side view mirrors are 30 percent smaller (in terms of volume) compared to the standard side view mirror, but keeps the available field of vision (and even tech like auto dimming and blind spot indicators) intact.

The carmaker explains that they were able to achieve this signature look by changing the way the side view mirrors move. In a conventional setup, the mirror moves within a fixed enclosure. In the Polestar though, the entire enclosure moves as one!

Currently, this technology is available exclusively on the Polestar 1 and Polestar 2, but it’s highly likely that it’ll migrate to Volvo, and perhaps even the Lynk & Co and Geely brands in the very near future.

Volvo Celebrates Best Decade Ever Under Geely Ownership

Volvo Cars has its eyes firmly set on the future as it celebrates the 10-year anniversary of its acquisition by Zhejiang Geely Holding (Geely).

The company has seen a complete transformation of its business under Geely ownership, changing from a purely European firm to a truly global and strong player in the premium car market, racking up record sales, revenues, and profits along the way.

As it looks back on one decade and ahead towards a new one, Volvo Cars will build on this foundation as it aims to become a leader in electrification, autonomous drive, and new mobility models, while forging ever closer cooperation with its sister brands under the Geely umbrella.

In the coming years Volvo Cars aims to establish itself as a leader in electrification and by 2025, it wants half of its global sales volume to consist of fully electric cars, with the rest hybrids. These cars will be part of a new generation of Volvos based on SPA2, the successor to its successful modular vehicle architecture.

It also aims to establish millions of direct consumer relationships through new forms of mobility, and it expects to play a leading role in the safe introduction of autonomous drive technologies.

These and other ambitions have been made possible and credible thanks to the establishment of a sustainable and profitable business model over the past decade, providing Volvo Cars with a solid platform for further growth.

Following its separation from Ford Motor Company in 2010, Volvo Cars and Geely mapped out a new future for the Swedish brand, based on a few fundamental building blocks: technical independence, a global manufacturing footprint, a strengthened brand identity, and arms-length governance by Geely.

Starting in 2014 with the XC90, the company completely renewed its product portfolio with a range of brand-new SUVs, sedans, and wagons. All new models are based on the Volvo-developed SPA modular vehicle architecture or on the CMA modular architecture, co-developed between Volvo and Geely.

Its new model portfolio has proven to be a global success, delivering six consecutive sales records and record profits—in 2019, Volvo Cars sold more than 700,000 cars for the first time in its 90+ years of existence.

The company also expanded its manufacturing and R&D network across the globe: while it started out with two manufacturing plants and an engine plant in Europe, it now has four additional manufacturing sites and an R&D center in China, as well as a car plant in the United States.

A rejuvenated Volvo brand and design, focusing on premium proportions and embodying a Scandinavian identity unique in the automotive industry, has also driven the company to new heights and firmly established it as a fully-fledged alternative in the premium segment.

Volvo PH presents Ironmark Award to Mayor Isko

Along with sighs and muted shrieks from admirers of all ages, Francisco Moreno Domagoso took the stage once more as the recipient of this year’s Volvo Ironmark Award.

The young Mayor of Manila’s dedication and passion to his job that earned him the recognition. The Ironmark is the Swedish car manufacturer’s logo that can be seen displayed on all its vehicles. This is the badge of honor that defines what a Volvo is: a combination of durability, strength, and quality. These qualities are also main characteristics exemplified by each Volvo Ironmark Awardee.

He may be called several names, Isko Moreno from his matinee idol days to the more colloquial Yorme, a name bestowed upon him by fans and constituents alike, Mayor Domagoso made waves, especially in the political ocean.

From the silver screen, he trained his sights on improving himself, enrolling in administrative, business, and leadership courses. He believes that investing in education is a step closer to his dream of serving the public. From councilor, vice-mayor, and a number of government posts, he won by a landslide in the mayoral elections in May 2019.

Since then, Domagoso has become both pretty face and iron hand in Manila, spearheading clean-up operations and cracking down on lawbreakers. In just a short time, the City of Manila sees a flourishing future thanks to him.

Past Volvo Ironmark Awardees included Sen. Manny Pacquiao, Dr. Vicky Belo, Ces Drilon, Bea Alonzo, and Joey Concepcion. Adding to this illustrious roster is Domagoso, whose tenacity and vigor are something worth looking forward to.

Volvo Cars and Geely Automobile is Set to Merge

Volvo Cars and Geely Automobile is considering a merger in a bid to accelerate their financial and technological synergies.

In a joint-statement,Volvo Cars and Geely Automobile said that the considered combination would enable them to have the “scale, knowledge, and resources to be a leader in the ongoing transformation of the automotive industry.” Despite this, the combination would preserve the distinct identity of each of the brands: Volvo, Geely, Lynk & Co, and Polestar.

The merger would also allow the new company to have access to the global capital market through Hong Kong, with the intention to list in Stockholm, Sweden as well.

“A combination of the two companies would result in a strong global group. We look forward to working with Håkan Samuelsson, president and CEO of Volvo Cars, to further investigate this opportunity with the goal to strengthen the synergies within the Group while maintaining the competitive advantage and the integrity of each individual brand,” said Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Holding Group.

As the two automakers seek the necessary approval of their respective boards, shareholders, and also compliance with regulatory approvals, both Volvo Cars and Geely will create a joint working group to prepare a proposal to their respective boards.

The move is in tune with Chairman Li’s strategy of consolidating and pooling resources in order to spearhead initiatives such as electrification and autonomous driving. Previously, Volvo announced that it formed a joint-venture with Geely for the development of international combustion engines. Li is also the largest shareholder of Daimler AG, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz.

The move is said to create China’s first true global automaker.

Volvo PH Will Make Sure Your Can Use Your Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle Properly

After we posted our musing on driving a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) as a pure EV in Manila traffic, Volvo Philippines reached out to us to clarify the aspect of home charging.

According to Scandinavian Motors Corporation, the official distributor of Volvo Cars in the Philippines, each purchase of their T8 TwinEngine—the S90 T8, XC60 T8, or XC90 T8 includes a survey of the owner’s place of residence (or at least where he or she intends to park the Volvo PHEV).

From here, they will assess if the garage’s electrical outlets are suitable for their charging dock. If not, they will install a compatible wall box to make sure owners can use the T8 TwinEngine’s plug-in functionality. They’ll even include 16-amp fast charger (the regular one is just a 6-amp charger) which tops up the 11.6 kWh battery in just 3 hours! Not bad.

Volvo Philippines may be a bit quieter on their push towards electrified vehicles, but it looks like they’re taking the right, concrete steps to make sure the transition is as painless to the owner as possible. Other carmakers should certainly take note.

Volvo and Geely to Merge Engine Operations

Volvo Cars and Geely intend to merge their existing combustion engine operations into a stand-alone business in order to establish a new global supplier that will seek to develop next-generation combustion engines and hybrid powertrains.

The proposed new business would clear the way for Volvo to focus on the development of its all-electric range of premium cars. Volvo Cars is building an entirely electrified product range, as part of the company’s ambition to put sustainability at the core of its operations. By the middle of the next decade it expects half its global sales to be fully electric and the other half hybrid, supplied by the new unit.

For Geely, the planned new entity means technologically advanced and efficient combustion engines and hybrid powertrains would be available to Geely Auto, Proton, Lotus, LEVC and Lynk & Co. The planned new stand-alone business can also supply third-party manufacturers, providing possible growth opportunities.

The proposed new business is intended to be an attractive employer for approximately 3,000 employees from Volvo Cars and around 5,000 employees from Geely’s combustion engine operations, including research and development, procurement, manufacturing, IT, and finance functions. No reductions in the workforce are anticipated.

Both Volvo Cars and Geely are in the process of carving out their ICE (internal combustion engine) operations into new units within their respective organizations, as a first step towards a merger of the two into a combined new stand-alone business.

Volvo Cars believes the electrification of the automotive industry will be a gradual process, meaning there will be significant ongoing demand for efficient hybrid powertrains alongside fully electric offerings.

Volvo Philippines Offering 10-Year Free Maintenance Service for a Limited Time

Volvo Philippines is leveling up the premium car ownership by offering a 10-year (yes, that’s a decade) of free maintenance service and 10 years of free roadside assistance on the S90 and XC90.

The promo, which is offered until the end of the month will have S90 and XC90 owners enjoy the country’s longest free preventive maintenance and road assistance package. Of course, this is on top of the 3-year bumper-to-bumper warranty.

Making Volvo ownership even more sensible (and accessible), the S90 and XC90 are offered with a zero percent interest for 5 years until the end of September. It comes with free 1-year comprehensive insurance coverage and chattel mortage.

Volvo Philippines Launches Safe Roads Program

Volvo Philippines strengthens its advocacy for road safety as it launches the Safe Roads by Volvo program. By partnering with schools, Volvo PH aims to raise road safety awareness especially among school children, their parents or guardians, and other people in and around school premises.

Volvo PH has been an active advocate for road safety over the years, spearheading road safety projects that aim to educate and inform people about safety on the road. Aside from its regular news updates to its clients and the general public, Volvo PH has set a benchmark in malls where road safety signs and information were shared through huge pillar decals and murals.

This time, through the Safe Roads by Volvo project, Volvo PH will collaborate with academic institutions and put up multiple visible road and traffic signs around the area. The program will start with schools around Metro Manila with MGC New Life Christian Academy as their first partner in the academic circles.

Since its inception in 1927, Volvo has invented some of the world’s most important breakthroughs in car and road safety. There’s the three-point safety belt, a Volvo invention that has saved over a million lives since. It didn’t stop there. Volvo’s thinking wheels keeps on turning and churning out innovations that make life on the road safer, cleaner, more efficient, and more enjoyable.

That is why Volvo’s bold Vision 2020 is born. One of the most ambitious safety visions in the automotive industry, Vision 2020 aims that no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by year 2020. This is where the Safe Roads by Volvo program is rooted, to continue its efforts in informing and educating the public about safety on the road.

Volvo’s way of thinking is summarized in one Swedish word, “Omtanke”. It means “caring” and “consideration”, but more importantly, “to think again”. It drives the company forward to find new ways that encourage better behavior among pedestrians and motorists alike for safer roads and ultimately, saving lives.