Volvo Cars Unveils Concept 26, Delivering the Luxury of Time

Volvo Cars Unveils Concept 26, Delivering the Luxury of Time

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, November 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

    Volvo Cars' ongoing research into autonomous driving has confirmed what we all know -
that the daily commute is taking the joy out of driving. It is during the commute and on
long-haul motorway trips that people are most willing to delegate the act of driving to
their car.

    To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:

    http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7694951-volvo-cars-unveils-concept-26

    With this in mind Volvo has developed Concept 26, named to reflect the average daily
commute to work of 26 minutes - time that could be spent doing something more meaningful
than sitting in stop-go traffic. Volvo has set out to bring choice and freedom back to the
driver; to enjoy the driving experience when they want to, or to delegate driving to the
car when they want to do something else.

    Drive, Create, Relax 

    "It's all about people. Our research clearly shows that some people will want to use
their commuting time creatively when they have full autonomous drive available, while
others will want to just sit back and relax, watch online media or listen to music.
Autonomous drive will make all of this possible. This is what Concept 26 has captured by
reimagining the entire car experience," said Robin Page, Vice President of Interior Design
at Volvo Cars.

    Concept 26 is based around an all-new patented seat design that actively cradles the
driver during the transformation phase into one of the three modes: Drive, Create or
Relax. With these three modes the concept creates a new autonomous drive innovation
platform that can adapt to new needs and technologies over time.

    When the driver wishes to delegate driving to the car the steering wheel retracts, the
seat reclines and a large display emerges from the dashboard allowing the driver to enjoy
the time spent in the car as they like.  Concept 26 embraces the need for radical change
of the basic design of car interiors and provides a space that can be used as the
driver/passenger wishes.

    Concept 26 opens up a new paradigm of possibilities in the car - from entertainment to
service provision and beyond, using the technology that is now a natural part of our
everyday lives. It also signals the huge potential for new business opportunities and
high-tech collaborations that autonomous drive will bring.

    "We have gone to great lengths to understand the challenges and opportunities that
autonomous cars will bring to people in coming years, and our flexible approach to
engineering and design, enabled by our new Scalable Product Architecture, means that we
can readily bring this from concept to reality," said Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice
President Research and Development at Volvo Car Group.

    Confidence

    Volvo Cars' ongoing Drive Me research project, which will see an extended fleet of
fully autonomous cars driving real customers on the roads of Gothenburg, Sweden, in 2017
is further proof that Volvo is a leader in autonomous drive technology, building firmly on
its foundation of safety.

    "Volvo Cars is among the first to address the subject of self-driving cars and
liability. We firmly believe that car makers should take full responsibility for the
actions of the car when it is driving in full autonomous mode. If a manufacturer does not
accept liability it clearly implies that they are not confident about their autonomous
drive technology," said Dr Peter Mertens.

       
         
        Contact: 
        Stefan Elfstrom 
        Media Relations Manager 
        Corporate Communications 
        Volvo Car Corporation 
        Dept. 50250/PVH50 
        Goteborg  
        Sweden 
        Telephone +46-31-3251878 
        Stefan.elfstrom@volvocars.com

         

     

    A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire. It can be
downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at
http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.

(Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/683630 )

(Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151118/288916 )

    Photo:
    http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/683630

    http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151118/288916

    Video:
    http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7694951-volvo-cars-unveils-concept-26

Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/683630
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Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151118/288916
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Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/683630
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Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151118/288916
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Video:http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7694951-volvo-cars-unveils-concept-26
Volvo Car Group