Volvo Cars' emergency assistance system Volvo onCall is celebrating ten years with a relaunch and several new features. The offer has been simplified and the price reduced significantly.

Volvo Car Corporation was the first car manufacturer to offer customers a GPS-based communication system that permitted round-the-clock contact with an operator in an emergency situation. The operator sees the vehicle's exact location and if necessary can despatch assistance to the driver.

The system can be handled manually by the driver pressing the emergency button in a less serious situation, or automatically in the event of a serious accident. If the car's airbags or safety belt pre-tensioners are deployed, the system is activated and information about the car's location is sent to the Volvo onCall centre. If the driver does not respond when the operator calls, the ambulance service and police are alerted.

Modern interpretation

After ten years on the market, Volvo onCall is being relaunched and now offers a more modern interpretation of the assistance service, more closely tailored to customer needs and the demand for increased integration of wireless communication in the car. 2014 is expected to see the introduction of legislation in the EU requiring all car makers to offer an emergency assistance system. With Volvo onCall, Volvo Cars has established a technology platform that offers clear benefits ahead of the next-generation challenges.

The system includes a built-in mobile phone that has an imbedded SIM-card for emergency or assistance calls. There is also a slot for an extra SIM-card that can be used for all regular calls. The built-in phone is more powerful and has a better reception than any regular mobile phones. Volvo onCall is now also compatible with the Volvo Bluetooth system.

The new offer has been significantly simplified so it is easier for customers to understand the advantages and for Volvo dealers to present the system. The price has been reduced significantly to about 1,000 € and includes a free 2-year subscription that soon easily can be renewed on the internet by the customer.

Safety, security and convenience

In addition to the safety it provides in an emergency situation, Volvo onCall also offers enhanced security in the event of a break-in or theft. If the car's alarm is activated for more than 15 seconds, the Volvo onCall operator is alerted and he or she in turn contacts the owner. If the car is stolen, the operator can monitor the car's exact location via GPS, remotely immobilise the vehicle and inform the police. At the request of the owner, the operator can also unlock the doors. The security functions are an option in Volvo onCall.

The relaunch is accompanied by additional features that increase the security. If the car is reported stolen the driver can be asked for a PIN code in order to start the engine. Both the car's GPS and the Volvo onCall systems are installed behind sturdy steel plates to protect them from wilful or accidental damage.

Another major new feature for vehicles equipped with a fuel-fired heater is the remote operation of the engine heater. It can either be programmed via a computer using the Volvo owner portal, or by a new application that is downloaded to a mobile phone and sends a text message (sms) to the car to program the heater.

Volvo onCall is the emergency assistance system with by far the widest availability in Europe. The system is offered on 14 markets and is available as an option on all Volvo models.

Volvo Cars of North America, LLC, (VCNA) reported U.S. sales of 4,995 units, a 29.1 percent decrease from June 2009. Year-to-date sales are down 5.2 percent over the first six months of 2010.

In Canada, Volvo sales were down 20.5 percent in June with a total of 716 vehicles sold. Year-to-date sales are down 0.7 percent in Canada.

Set for introduction later this year, the all-new 2011 S60 sports sedan looks to bolster Volvo's sales in the third and fourth quarters. A major volume contributor for VCNA, the supply of previous-generation S60s has been fully depleted. The all-new S60 goes on sale mid-September with available Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Brake, dynamic handling characteristics and stunning design with a base price of just $37,700*.

Stefan Jacoby, the head of Volkswagen AG's North American operations, is going to work for a Chinese car company at an awkward time for VW.

Jacoby, 52, has been tapped to run Volvo Cars when Zhejiang Geely Holding Co. completes the acquisition of the Swedish carmaker later in the summer, sources familiar with the situation said Thursday.

But the appointment has not been finalized, one of the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Jacoby was unavailable for comment, but Volkswagen of America said VW was in contract talks with him and had assigned managers to take up his responsibilities in the interim.

Jacoby's departure would be disruptive for Volkswagen, which has big sales and manufacturing projects under way in the United States, where it hopes to restore a significant presence.

The German automaker is building an assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., that will start making an all-new, midsize car for the American market in 2011. In addition, VW is launching an all-new Jetta compact, also developed and priced for the U.S. market, later this year.

"Until the contractual situation has been clarified, Michael Lohscheller will assume interim responsibility for Volkswagen Group of America, and Mark Barnes will assume interim responsibility for Volkswagen of America," Volkswagen of America said in a statement. Volkswagen Group includes the Volkswagen and other brands.

Despite the bad timing for Volkswagen, analysts said one person's departure would not derail its plans. "They've got a tremendous amount of momentum right now and a renewed commitment to the U.S. market," said Michael Robinet, a Northville-based analyst at IHS Automotive, a forecasting group. "Jacoby was part of that, but not the sole owner of that initiative."

Jacoby spent most of his career at Volkswagen but left in 2001 to take a job as president of Amsterdam-based Mitsubishi Motors Europe before returning to VW two-and-a-half years later.

His experience makes Jacoby an attractive candidate for a company like Zhejiang Geely that's relatively new to the business. Jacoby is a top manager at a leading global automaker with a strong record in China, where Geely plans to start producing Volvos.

While at VW, Jacoby was responsible for the Asia-Pacific region from October 1997 until September 2001, and he was involved in the expansion of VW's joint ventures in China. Jacoby also worked in Japan for Volkswagen.

"Given the level of investment and commitment that Geely is going to require to maintain Volvo's position as a global nameplate, an executive with international capabilities is a must," Robinet said.

Ford Motor Co., Volvo's owner since 1999, struck a deal in March to sell the Gothenburg-based carmaker to Zhejiang Geely, the parent of Geely Auto. The sale is expected to close in August.

Ford veteran Stephen Odell is now CEO of Volvo. The German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, which first reported Jacoby's move, said Odell would run Ford of Europe. Ford had no comment.

In its 2010 Initial Quality Study (IQS), released June 17, J.D. Power and Associates names Volvo C70 the top compact premium sporty car and ranks the Volvo nameplate as number 10 among automakers.

The leading research company's 2010 Initial Quality Study also names three Volvo models - S80, XC70, XC60 - among top three in respective classes.

Volvo Car's continued dedication to quality contributed to its 10th place ranking, up from 20th in 2009 on the US market. Every domestic and international automaker that sells vehicles in the United States is ranked by the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100), and Volvo this year earned its ranking by matching the industry average of 109 PP100.

"The IQS is the Olympics or World Championship of the car manufacturers' world, so it feels really good to improve our placing by a massive ten positions," says Bengt Banck, Senior Vice President, Quality and Customer Satisfaction at Volvo Cars.

2010 also marks the first year Volvo models have been individually recognized for outstanding value and performance.

Recently named the 2010 Best Overall Value of the Year in its luxury convertible class by IntelliChoice, the Volvo C70 now adds to its accolades recognition as the highest-ranking compact premium sporty car by J.D. Power and Associates.

In addition to the C70, Volvo has other models that rank within the top three in their segments: the S80 for midsize premium car brands, the XC70 for midsize premium crossover/SUV brands, and the XC60 for entry premium crossover/SUV brands.

According to J.D. Power and Associates, the IQS serves as the industry benchmark for new-vehicle quality measured at 90 days of ownership. In addition to manufacturer use for design and build improvements, consumers use the study to help in vehicle purchase decisions.

Overlooking the sea and the Opera House, Gothenburg City Race Arena is a spectacular experience. And it was also spectacular when Volvo Polestar clashed with the rest of the STCC field in front of 13 000 spectators. Robert Dahlgren continues to lead the driver's championship after a win and one fifth place finish, while Tommy Rustad keeps facing headwinds.

Volvo Polestar set the pace straight away on the home track in Gothenburg, with Robert Dahlgren and Tommy Rustad starting in the front in the first heat. Unfortunately Rustad spun on the eleventh lap and finished in twelfth place, while Robert Dahlgren drove flawlessly and won.
"It feels really good! The sun is shining, we are the home team and we are winning" said Robert afterwards.

In the reverse starting order in heat two Dahlgren started eighth and Rustad twelfth. Rustad ran well advancing quickly to fourth place, on a narrow race track with few opportunities for overtaking. Unfortunately, he received a drive-through penalty after an overtaking incident and finished twelfth.
Dahlgren did better with a final fifth place after a messy start where he came out as eleventh out of the first corner.

"We had 2000 own guests who got a chance to celebrate with us in Volvo's home town, says Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin, motorsport commercial director at Volvo Cars. He continues:
"It feels fantastic to be able to show the sporting ability in our project by taking pole and winning heat one on STCC's toughest track. Heat two here is more of a lottery and you just try to survive.

Next time the contestants meet is on July 10 on Falkenberg race track - a favorite track Volvo Polestar.

Cologne. A safety innovation from Volvo Car Corporation has once again won a prestigious award: pedestrian detection with full auto brake, first used in the new Volvo S60, receives the Plus X Award in the Innovation category and can now call itself "Best Product of the Year 2010".

This system, unique in the world, prevents collisions with pedestrians or, at higher speeds, reduces the consequences of an accident. A top-class jury of 144 jurors from 32 nations decided in favour of the technological innovation from the Swedish premium manufacturer.

The Plus X Award, the largest technologies, sports and lifestyle competition in the world, honours manufacturers for products of particularly outstanding quality.
More than 1,000 products from all sectors of technologies, sports and lifestyle were submitted for this year's competition. The categories judged were innovation, high quality, design, ease of operation/functionality, ergonomics and ecology.

Innovative edge

The products honoured with the most Plus X Award seals in their product type received the distinction "Best Product of the Year". The crucial element in the jury's decision was rational innovation, the Plus X factor, which clearly improves the present-day state of the art and sets the prize winner apart from its competitors. The jury recognised such an innovative edge in the new safety system from Volvo Cars, pedestrian detection with full auto brake.

Pedestrian detection with full auto brake combines a newly developed radar unit in the front grille and a camera at the level of the rear-view mirror in an effective system that spots pedestrians on the road ahead of the vehicle. If the driver fails to respond in time in this situation, the system automatically activates full braking power.

Half of all accidents involving pedestrians occur at speeds of less than 25 km/h. The new Volvo system can completely prevent accidents of this type up to a speed of 35 km/h. At higher speeds the system ensures maximum deceleration and in so doing substantially reduces the consequences of an accident.

Five years of development

Volvo Cars invested more than five years in the development work on the new safety system. Half a million test kilometres were driven in various parts of the world so that the system could store the patterns of movement of pedestrians in different traffic situations, countries and climatic conditions.

Pedestrian detection is an enhancement of the collision warning with full auto brake already introduced by Volvo, and therefore also protects against rear-end collisions. The prize-winning safety system is introduced for the first time in the Volvo S60.

The Plus X Award and the distinction of "Best Product of the Year 2010" once again emphasise the special position of the Swedish premium manufacturer with regard to safety and highlights the company's claim to build the world's safest cars.

It was a good weekend for Volvo Polestar and driver Robert Dahlgren, who took many important points by claiming two second places in this weekend's Swedish Touring Car Championship (STCC) round at Ring Knutstorp. Continued top spot in both driver's and team championships bodes well for the rest of the season.

In spite of very difficult conditions on a wet and cold Ring Knutstorp, Volvo Polestar claimed enough points to remain in the lead in both the driver's and team championship. With a compromise setup between wet and dry conditions, Robert finished second in both heats, just a few meters short of victory in the second one.

"On a day like this, we can only be happy with the results, pack up and go to the next race" says Alexander Murdzevski Schedvin at Volvo Motorsport.

Robert Dahlgren impressed in heat two by advancing his ethanol-fueled Volvo C30 DRIVe race car from seventh to second place in just a few laps. Although under pressure from his competitors in BMW later in the heat, Dahlgren drove smart and defended his position.

"I am very happy with the outcome" says a Robert Dahlgren who tops the driver's championship.

It was worse for Tommy Rustad who has had a tough start to the season with the exception of his win in the first heat in the premiere race in Denmark two weeks ago. At nearly 150 kilometers per hour, he went off the track in heat one after receiving an accidental nudge from BMW driver Jan Nilsson.

"I had the ideal line and Jan wanted the same, he touched me and I spun off the track", said Tommy Rustad. Tommy was unhurt in the crash but very disappointed as his car was beyond repair for the second heat.

The second round of this year's STCC is completed and the hunt for new championship titles is intensifying. The overall points score for Robert Dahlgren and Volvo Polestar this weekend means continued top spot in the driver's championship and an extended lead in the team championship.

STCC Driver's Championship 2010 after 2 of 9 rounds

STCC Team Championship 2010 after 2 of 9 rounds

As wonderful as the spring is for many people, it is also sheer torture for others. A person suffering from asthma or allergy has few sanctuaries during the pollen season. However, a ride in a Volvo car may make life easier.

"The filters we fit to clean the passenger compartment air also remove the particles that cause allergies. A ride in a car can actually make breathing easier for many sufferers when the problem becomes acute," says Andreas Andersson, manager of allergy-optimised car interiors at Volvo Cars.

The filters that clean the air have two functions - one blocks particles and the other is impregnated with active carbon, which neutralises gases. The air in the car's passenger compartment is monitored by an air quality system that measures the amount of gases in the incoming air. Well before the levels get too high, the air intake to the passenger compartment is shut entirely automatically without any input from the driver. For this reason, the air inside the car is in principle always cleaner than the air outside.

Automatic ventilation

One factor that contributes to the clean in-car air is the automatic ventilation system, which airs out the car when the driver unlocks it. This system is currently found in the Volvo S80, XC60, V70, XC70 and S60 but will gradually be introduced in all the company's models.
Volvo Cars is in the lead in the development of allergy-optimised cars. Uniquely in the car industry, the textiles used in all the company's models meet the stringent Öko-Tex* standards, while the leather upholstery is entirely free of chromium.

What is more, nickel seepage from all metal-finish interior trim components has been minimised. As a result, five Volvo models with nine different interior trim alternatives have interior air of such high quality that they are recommended by the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association.
Several Volvo models have also received high ratings by Healthy Car in the US, an independent organisation that bases its results on research and studies of harmful substances in vehicles.

"We know that 35-40 percent of people in the western world suffer from some form of oversensitivity or allergy. This is a major problem for many people and it is therefore important that we as a car maker offer a clean environment inside our vehicles," says Andreas Andersson.

Filter to tackle small particles

The researchers at Volvo Cars are now working on the development of filters that can stop even the tiniest of particles.
"It is the small particles that are the most dangerous. They may not result in immediate symptoms like the larger ones do, which cause allergies to blossom. However, small particles can cause negative health effects in the longer term," concludes Andreas Andersson.

Jan Olson, marketing manager at the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association, is both grateful for and highly satisfied over the organisation's cooperation with Volvo Cars.

"We haven't received any negative feedback from users since we defined the criteria for allergy-optimised air quality, and several of Volvo's models have been approved in accordance with these standards. This means we have pitched our standards exactly right," he explains.
"It's difficult to give an exact figure, but we do not see any tendency for the problem to tail off. And the level is roughly the same throughout Europe," adds Jan Olson.

DRIVe Towards Zero

The development of an allergy-optimised in-car environment is part of the vision that Volvo Cars presented under the heading DRIVe Towards Zero, where the aim is to develop cars that are entirely free from harmful particles and carbon dioxide emissions. Thus far, China is the only country that regulates in-car air quality with enforced legislation. In Japan there are regulations for domestic car manufacturers.
IAQS (Interior Air Quality System), automatic ventilation and removable floor-mats are all grouped together under the heading of CZIP, which stands for Clean Zone Interior Package. IAQS is available as an option on all Volvo's car models.
Volvo Cars models that can be ordered with CZIP and are recommended by the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association:

• Volvo S80
• Volvo V70
• Volvo XC60
• Volvo XC70

Volvo S60 (the tests are being carried out this spring but the model meets the same standards as the other recommended models)
*International Oeko-Tex® Association is a collection of 14 reputable textile research and test institutes in Europe and Japan that conduct independent tests of harmful substances.

The season's first STCC race took place at Jyllandsringen in Denmark, a track that is very winding and narrow and therefore favor rear-wheel drive cars. Despite this fact, the defending champions Volvo Polestar managed to start something that hopefully will be a rerun of the last year's consecutive series of victories. Tommy Rustad won the first heat and Robert Dahlgren the second. That puts Dahlgren in top of the driver's championship, and Volvo Polestar on top in the team championship.

Volvo is in the lead at both tables after the first STCC round, where Robert Dahlgren and Tommy Rustad started with an incredible weekend.

"It's been a fantastic day. We are pleased to deliver this to the team and Volvo who has spent an endless amount of work during the preseason" said Robert Dahlgren, leading the driver's championship after a fierce battle among the 24 participating cars.

Tommy Rustad, driving the other Volvo showed his speed already in qualifying, and took his first pole position for the season. Unfortunately, Rustad was forced to retire in the second race heat seven laps in after being hit by Thed Björk who attempted a late overtaking maneuver. In spite of this the standings look good, and team manager Christian Dahl is very satisfied with the weekend.

"A super-start to the season! Rustad had an incredible race in the first heat and managed to keep the competition behind him lap after lap, and Dahlgren did a really good start in the second heat and could then sail away to an easy win".

The first round of the season is completed. Two wins and one pole position means Volvo has now claimed its fourth consecutive race win and twelfth consecutive pole position - Volvo Polestar has been quickest in all qualifying sessions in STCC from the second to last race of the 2008 season.
"This was better than expected, given that Jyllandsringen is this year's most difficult track for front wheel drive cars, concludes Derek Crabb, Volvo Cars Motorsport Director.

Standings STCC 2010 (after round 1 of 9):

Team championship

1. Volvo Polestar 65
2. MA:GP/IPS 40
3. Team Biogas.se 29
4. Mattias Ekström Juniorteam 26
5. West Coast Racing 24
6. Flash Engineering 17
7. Chevrolet Motorsport Sweden 1

Drivers championship

1. Robert Dahlgren, Volvo Polestar 40
2. Johan Stureson, MA:GP/IPS 30
3. Tommy Rustad, Volvo Polestar 25
4. Richard Göransson, WestCoast Racing 24
5. Patrik Olsson, Team Biogas.se 17
6. Thed Björk, Flash Engineering 16
7. Dick Sahlén, Mattias Ekström Juniorteam 14
8. Fredrik Ekblom, Team Biogas.se 12
9. Roger Eriksson, Mattias Ekström Juniorteam 12
10. Mattias Andersson, MA:GP/IPS 10

Volvo Car Corporation and Polestar will begin this year's Swedish Touring Car Championship (STCC) season on 24 April at Jyllandsringen in Denmark. The ambition is to defend both the driver and team championship titles. At centre stage in this ambition is the new race car.

"This is the fastest Volvo I've ever driven," says Volvo Polestar driver Robert Dahlgren.

At first sight, the most striking thing about the new car is its new front end. Just like the production version, the new race car has a front end which is longer, lower, wider... and meaner-looking. And more important still, the new design delivers a higher ground pressure at the front, and an improved airflow right around the car.

"We've worked very hard to take full advantage of the new C30 facelift, spending countless hours in the wind tunnel at Volvo Cars in the process," says Jan Andersson, Technical Director of the Volvo Polestar team.

Even more track testing to help secure new victories

In 2009, Volvo and Polestar were the fastest team in all the qualifying sessions, and won half of all the race heats. The key to that success was an extensive pre-season testing programme. In the run-up to the 2010 season, their testing programme has been even more intensive. The team has already clocked up 3,000 kilometres of track testing with the new race car. Compare that with the 150 kilometres or so that each driver covers in the course of a normal STCC race weekend!

"We've gone over every single aspect of the new car - front and rear suspension, engine and aerodynamics. We want to be absolutely sure of all the improvements, and also to confirm the reliability of all the new and revised components," says Christian Dahl, Team Manager for the Volvo Polestar team.

In the STCC to win

Volvo Cars recently extended its agreement with Polestar right through to the end of the 2012 season. This was confirmation of the car-maker's confidence in Polestar to develop and race its official entries in the STCC. What comes next are 18 gruelling events - a battle for those 450 possible points.

Derek Crabb, Director of Motorsport at Volvo Car Corporation, sounds extremely confident of success. "In 2007 we proved together that a race car can win using a greener fuel, when we pioneered bioethanol in racing instead of petrol. The following year we proved that the fastest car does not arrive in a box from Germany or the UK. And last year we proved that our green DRIVe technology, as found in our production models, could also outperform everything on the race track. All of our staff and all of the Volvo Polestar fans can now see for themselves exactly what we are prepared to venture and just what we can do. That is worth far more than just points in a competition."