Volvo is working on improved batteries, is planning to launch a Volvo-branded operating system, and is continuing to lead the way in vehicle safety.
The company wants 50% of its sales to be electric vehicles by 2025, with a shift to an all-electric portfolio by 2030, and its relationship with battery manufacturer Northvolt will be critical to achieving these goals.
A new in-house operating system created in collaboration with Google will power a redesigned infotainment interface aimed at reducing driver distraction.
Volvo will evaluate data from its cars’ lidar and radar sensors in real-time so that it can swiftly deploy over-the-air upgrades that improve the autonomous capabilities of its vehicles.
Volvo utilized its Tech Moment event to discuss intentions for technology improvements in the future years while unveiling the Concept Recharge today. Battery manufacturing, computer power, entertainment, and, of course, safety were all priorities for the firm.
Volvo wants electric cars to account for half of its sales by 2025, with a full EV portfolio available by 2030, and it has halted development of internal combustion engines. Volvo has partnered with Northvolt, a Swedish battery manufacturer, to increase energy density by up to 50% over current batteries and cut charging times in half by the mid-2020s.
Volvo and Northvolt want to make batteries out of renewable energy and recycle as much material as possible from existing batteries.
The next generation of Volvo EVs will also have bidirectional charging, allowing homeowners to power their homes using their car’s battery during peak demand periods when electricity is more expensive and polluting than during off-peak hours. This will be determined by the charging equipment used by the owner and the billing regulations of their local utility. Volvo is committed to vertical integration for EV production in the long run, with the goal of bringing the design, development, and manufacturing of batteries, motors, and software in-house.
The company’s reputation is founded on its commitment to safety, and the firm stressed the importance of autonomous driving technologies in reducing collisions. Lidar sensors, such as the one atop the Concept Recharge, will augment radar and conventional cameras to increase the precision with which the automobile can see its surroundings. Volvo will analyse the data acquired by these sensors in real time, with the agreement of owners, in order to offer over-the-air updates more rapidly and steadily enhance the level of autonomous driving capability of its cars.
Volvo stated that it is concentrating on introducing unsupervised autonomous driving to highways initially, then gradually spreading it to various geographical regions when data from those areas becomes obtainable.
the company also unveiled a new core computing system that will debut in a next-generation electric vehicle next year. The system, which was developed in collaboration with Nvidia, is made up of three primary computers: one for visual processing and artificial intelligence, another for general computing, and a third for entertainment. The core technology will also reduce the number of electronic control units onboard each Volvo from 100 to 50, saving weight and energy.
the company’s own in-house operating system, called VolvoCars.OS, developed in partnership with Google, will be linked with the core computer system. The new infotainment system is designed with safety in mind, with the vehicle’s screen breaking up information in clear and easy ways to avoid distracted driving. Only the most pertinent information, dependent on the driving scenario, will surface on the displays, with key features displayed front and center rather than hidden in a sub-menu. Your phone will function as a key in future Volvo goods, and the Volvo Cars app will be used to locate and pay for charging as well as control remote services like pre-heating and cooling.
Many of the innovations the firm showcased at the Tech Moment will debut on the company’s flagship SUV, which will be unveiled next year. This is believed to be the electric replacement to Volvo’s XC90, the company’s biggest vehicle, and will look a lot like the Concept Recharge.
