VOLVO CARS ADDS ANDROID AUTO TO ITS NEXT GENERATION OF CARS

Volvo Car Group joins the Open Automotive Alliance

Volvo Car Group (Volvo Cars) has joined the Open Automotive Alliance to make the Android smartphone platform available to drivers through its new ground-breaking user interface. This move brings together one of the world’s most progressive car companies and the world’s most popular smartphone platform, developed by Google.

The integration of Android Auto™ promises to add yet another dimension to the Volvo in-car experience. Android Auto brings features and services familiar to Android smartphone and tablet users directly into the car via Volvo Cars’ large centre console touch screen display.

“Google’s approach to user-centricity and the application of technology to improve peoples’ everyday lives makes Android Auto a perfect addition to the Volvo experience,” says Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

The interaction between Android Auto and Volvo Cars’ brand new user interface transforms the look and feel of a car’s interior. Volvo Cars’ interiors will be characterised by their high-tech simplicity and functionality.

“We have worked hard to ensure an enjoyable user experience with Android Auto. This will offer our customers a new degree of fluidity and accessibility in the usage of their mobile devices, and bring the digital ecosystem our customers already enjoy into the car, complementing Volvo Cars’ existing connected car services and applications,” says Håkan Samuelsson.

Android Auto will provide access to Google Search, Google Maps, Google Play Music and specially adapted third party applications, such as Spotify. All phone-based applications can be controlled via voice or steering wheel controls or the car’s touch screen ensuring the entire interaction with Android Auto content is both safe and easy.

Volvo Cars’ portrait touch screen provides users with the benefit of having both Volvo Cars and Android Auto content on the screen simultaneously, removing the need to switch between car and Android phone screens.

“Android smartphone users will feel completely at home in a new Volvo. We have created a wholly-integrated user experience in our large portrait-oriented touch screen that takes the in-car mobile device experience to a new level. That, coupled with the obvious driver safety benefits of an advanced voice control system offered by Google, made Android Auto a perfect match for Volvo,” says Håkan Samuelsson.

Android Auto will be available on all new Volvo cars based on the new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), starting with the all-new XC90, due to be publically revealed at this year’s Paris Motor Show.

Volvo Cars will also include Apple CarPlay™ interoperability in all new models based on the new Scalable Product Architecture. This will make it possible for Volvo car drivers to connect the most widely used smartphone platforms directly to their car’s touch screen display.

Note to editor

The Open Automotive Alliance is a global alliance of technology and auto industry leaders committed to bringing the Android platform to cars.

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Volvo Car Group in 2013

For the 2013 financial year, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of 1,919 MSEK (66 MSEK in 2012). Revenue over the period amounted to 122,245 MSEK (124,547 MSEK), while net income amounted to 960 MSEK (-542 MSEK). Global retail sales for the year amounted to 427,840 (421,951) cars, an increase of 1.4 per cent compared to 2012. The operating profit was the result of cost control and strong sales and was further tangible proof of Volvo Car Group’s progress in implementing its transformation plan. For the full year 2014, the company expects to stay in black figures and predicts to record a global sales increase of a good 5 per cent. 

About Volvo Car Group

Volvo has been in operation since 1927. Today, Volvo Cars is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales of 427,000 in 2013 in about 100 countries. Volvo Cars has been under the ownership of the Zhejiang Geely Holding (Geely Holding) of China since 2010. It formed part of the Swedish Volvo Group until 1999, when the company was bought by Ford Motor Company of the US. In 2010, Volvo Cars was acquired by Geely Holding.

As of December 2013, Volvo Cars had over 23,000 employees worldwide. Volvo Cars head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars head office for China is located in Shanghai. The company’s main car production plants are located in Gothenburg (Sweden), Ghent (Belgium) and Chengdu (China), while engines are manufactured in Skövde (Sweden) and Zhangjiakou (China).

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