Is Volvo going to be the next tech giant in the Automotive Industry?

Is Volvo going to be the next tech giant in the Automotive Industry?

Volvo has stated they plan on rolling out an all electric vehicle to compete with the Tesla Model S. All we know so far is that Volvo plans on having it on showroom floors by 2019 and it will be based on the new SPA platform which is currently used by the newest generation of the XC90 SUV and S90 Sedan. Volvo claims the expected range on the as yet unnamed vehicle will be 500km (310 miles).

On the other side of Volvo news, this year at the Consumer Electronic Show, Volvo revealed their latest tech in the Volvo On Call remote voice control. Using the new Microsoft Band 2 smartwatch, the driver can operate select function of the vehicle. Right now the functions compatible with the smartwatch are Heating, Navigation, Central Locking, Headlamps, and the Horn. This may not sound like much but it is a start and who knows where this tech will go from here. The availability of this tech will launch in the UK in spring. Now word yet on when it will be available here in the US.

The use of the smartwatch marks the second collaboration between Vovlo and Microsoft. In 2015 Volvo sarted using the Microsoft Hololens in select dealerships which allowed customer to view, in real time, different options available on their new car via a full size holographic image.