{"id":14775,"date":"2016-11-15T22:22:51","date_gmt":"2016-11-16T03:22:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/volvo-making-peoples-lives-easier-safer-better\/"},"modified":"2016-11-15T22:22:51","modified_gmt":"2016-11-16T03:22:51","slug":"volvo-making-peoples-lives-easier-safer-better","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/volvo-making-peoples-lives-easier-safer-better\/","title":{"rendered":"Volvo: Making People\u2019s Lives Easier, Safer, Better"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 2008, as part of its \u201cVision 2020\u201d initiative, Volvo announced a new goal: \u201cby 2020, nobody should be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo Car\u201d [2]. \u00a0Even for a company deeply rooted in safety, Volvo\u2019s improbable goal would likely prove to be difficult to achieve.\u00a0 Separately, the company realized that safety alone wouldn\u2019t propel Volvo into the forefront of the competitive automotive landscape.\u00a0 Thus, in 2011, Volvo began heavily investing in connectivity to augment the consumer experience.<\/p>\n

Aiming for Zero<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2011, Volvo received an $11 billion investment from its new parent Geely.\u00a0 To best position itself to meet its 2020 goal, Volvo decided to invest significant capital in digital technologies that would make its cars the safest on the road.\u00a0 The result was Volvo IntelliSafe, \u201ca suite of intelligent technologies that goes a long way to preventing \u2013 or lessening the impact of \u2013 a collision\u201d [3].\u00a0 For example, City Safety, one of the many IntelliSafe technologies, detects pedestrians in front of the car and, if the driver doesn\u2019t act, the car will brake automatically.\u00a0 Additionally, Volvo developed the world\u2019s first intersection braking technology that \u201cmakes one of the most common \u2013 and damaging \u2013 types of collision less likely to happen. If you are about to turn into the path of an oncoming car, it detects if a collision is imminent, braking for you to reduce the severity of an impact, or avoid it altogether\u201d [4].<\/p>\n

\"city-safety\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Image Credit: Volvo Car Group, \u201cIntelliSafe,\u201d http:\/\/www.volvocars.com\/intl\/about\/our-innovation-brands\/intellisafe, accessed November 2016.<\/em><\/p>\n

Autonomous Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n

The technology most critical to Volvo\u2019s future, however, is IntelliSafe Autopilot, which is the company\u2019s autonomous technology.\u00a0 Autonomous technology, often referred to as self-driving, allows a car to accelerate, brake and steer itself.\u00a0 IntelliSafe Autopilot technologies include four smart cameras that handle subtle changes in lighting, four radar transmitters that help lane changing by detecting approaching vehicles, 12 ultrasonic sensors to detect hazards at low speeds, and a unique multiple-beam laser scanner at the front of the car [5].<\/p>\n

Additionally, early in 2016, Volvo partnered with chip maker NVIDIA to provide its cars deep learning capabilities.\u00a0 These NVIDIA machines can sift through significant data to teach themselves, allowing the car to learn to \u201cidentify different objects and situations so that it can continually improve\u201d [6].<\/p>\n

While self-driving cars have yet to be legalized in the U.S. aside from certain jurisdictions with certain oversight, Volvo is working relentlessly to ensure it will be ready to introduce the technology once legally approved.\u00a0 Volvo, in fact, has such strong convictions in its technology that it pledged \u201cto take responsibility for any damage caused or sustained by its vehicles while these systems are in use\u201d [7].\u00a0 As the first, and still one of the very few, manufacturer to assume this risk, Volvo removed what has largely been considered the greatest barrier to introducing autonomous technology to the masses.<\/p>\n

\"auto-pilot\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Image Credit: Volvo Car Group, \u201cAuto Pilot,\u201d <\/em>http:\/\/www.volvocars.com\/us\/cars\/, accessed November 2016.<\/em><\/p>\n

Connectivity and Convenience<\/strong><\/p>\n

In addition to IntelliSafe technology, Volvo has developed technology to augment the customer experience.\u00a0 Volvo\u2019s new \u201cOn Call\u201d app provides consumers remote access to their cars, allowing them to view its location, fuel level, lock status, maintenance warnings, and to check if a door or window was left open.\u00a0 The app also allows the driver to start the car remotely, and beginning next year, the app will act as a digital key to the car [8].<\/p>\n

Further, Volvo will soon integrate technology in its vehicles to enable over-the-air software updates, which will allow Volvo to seamlessly install new updates, making the ownership experience more convenient [9].\u00a0 Volvo also recently introduced Sensus, which is its touchscreen infotainment system that has won numerous awards, including Kelley Blue Book\u2019s 2016 Best Auto Tech Award, and allowed Volvo to be one of the first manufacturers to provide Apple CarPlay to consumers [10].<\/p>\n

The recent introductions of IntelliSafe, Sensus and other innovations have resulted in increased recognition for Volvo as a leader in technology, leading CarBuyer to state that Volvo is \u201cin tune with modern connected living\u201d and naming the manufacturer the 2016 Car Tech Brand of the Year [11].<\/p>\n

\"sensus\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Image Credit: Volvo Car Group, \u201cSensus,\u201d <\/em>http:\/\/www.volvocars.com\/us\/cars\/, accessed November 2016.<\/em><\/p>\n

Moving too Fast?<\/strong><\/p>\n

While Volvo has clearly invested in numerous digital technologies as it executes on its strategy of putting people first and specifically looks to fulfill its goal of zero deaths by 2020, the company needs to be enormously mindful of the tension between pushing to be an industry leader in introducing innovative technologies and maintaining safety as its number one priority.\u00a0 Volvo should refrain from the temptation of being first to market with autonomous technology as there is tremendous value for the brand and its customers in surveying the competitive landscape and \u201cgetting it right\u201d.\u00a0 Fortunately, Volvo\u2019s has shown to date that customers likely won\u2019t have to pick between technology and safety.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Word Count: 775 words<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1] Volvo Car Group, \u201cHuman Innovations,\u201d http:\/\/www.volvocars.com\/us\/about\/our-points-of-pride\/human-innovations, accessed November 2016.<\/p>\n

[2] Volvo Car Group, \u201cVision 2020,\u201d http:\/\/www.volvocars.com\/intl\/about\/our-stories\/made-by-sweden\/vision-2020\/aiming-for-zero, accessed November 2016.<\/p>\n

[3] Volvo Car Group, \u201cIntelliSafe,\u201d http:\/\/www.volvocars.com\/intl\/about\/our-innovation-brands\/intellisafe, accessed November 2016.<\/p>\n

[4] Ibid.<\/p>\n

[5] Volvo Car Group, \u201cIntelliSafe Autopilot,\u201d http:\/\/www.volvocars.com\/intl\/about\/our-innovation-brands\/intellisafe\/intellisafe-autopilot\/this-is-autopilot\/the-tech, accessed November 2016.<\/p>\n

[6] Cadie Thompson, \u201cVolvo is quietly becoming a tech superpower”, Business Insider, June 3, 2016, http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/volvo-quietly-becoming-a-tech-superpower-2016-6\/#the-company-is-investing-in-artificial-intelligence-to-power-its-self-driving-cars-4, accessed November 2016.<\/p>\n

[7] Vlad Mitrache, \u201cVolvo R&D Chief on Testing the Autopilot: “I’m Convinced It’s Trying to Kill Me”, Auto Evolution, June 11, 2016, http:\/\/www.autoevolution.com\/news\/volvo-r-d-chief-on-testing-the-autopilot-i-m-convinced-it-s-trying-to-kill-me-108426.html, accessed November 2016.<\/p>\n

[8] Cadie Thompson, \u201cVolvo is quietly becoming a tech superpower”, Business Insider, June 3, 2016, http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/volvo-quietly-becoming-a-tech-superpower-2016-6\/#volvo-is-interested-in-more-than-just-self-driving-cars-its-also-investing-in-technology-to-make-its-cars-more-connected-and-convenient-6, accessed November 2016.<\/p>\n

[9] Cadie Thompson, \u201cVolvo is quietly becoming a tech superpower”, Business Insider, June 3, 2016, http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/volvo-quietly-becoming-a-tech-superpower-2016-6\/#volvo-will-also-soon-begin-over-the-air-software-updates-for-its-newer-vehicles-8, accessed November 2016.<\/p>\n

[10] Zach Vlasuk, \u201c2016 Best Auto Tech Award\u201d, Kelley Blue Book, January 4, 2016, http:\/\/www.kbb.com\/car-news\/all-the-latest\/best-auto-tech-awards\/2000012788\/, accessed November 2016.<\/p>\n

[11] Stuart Milne, \u201cVolvo named Car Tech Brand of the Year\u201d, CarBuyer, October 24, 2016, http:\/\/www.carbuyer.co.uk\/news\/155193\/volvo-named-car-tech-brand-of-the-year, accessed November 2016.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cVolvo\u2019s philosophy has always been to put people first. To pioneer innovations for a safer, cleaner, more enjoyable future. What will people need? How will they drive? To answer these questions, it\u2019s sometimes necessary to challenge convention, to find a new path\u201d [1].<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2433,"featured_media":14776,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[217,2077,2078,1093,2076,788,2075,2079,2073,55,2074,1625],"class_list":["post-14775","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-auto","category-auto-pilot","category-autonomous","category-cars","category-connectivity","category-digital","category-intellisafe","category-self-driving","category-sensus","category-technology","category-touchscreen","category-volvo"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/digitization-challenge-2016\/","yoast_head":"\nVolvo: Making People\u2019s Lives Easier, Safer, Better - Technology and Operations Management<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/volvo-making-peoples-lives-easier-safer-better\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Volvo: Making People\u2019s Lives Easier, Safer, Better - Technology and Operations Management\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cVolvo\u2019s philosophy has always been to put people first. 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