A software development centre for electric cars owned by a Chinese company of the well-known Swedish brand is to be launched later this year. - These will be computers on wheels, says the CEO of Volvo Cars.
According to Jim Rowan, president of Volvo Cars, the Krakow centre will play a key role in the company's 'strategic ambition' to produce fully electric cars by 2030.
- 'We're a purpose- and technology-driven company, so our next generation of Volvo cars will be more than just transport. They will be computers on wheels, designed to be updated remotely with new software. This means that our Krakow technology hub and the development of our own software development capabilities are key to our future success," said Jim Rowan.
First 120, then up to 600
- Our engineers in Krakow will join the global talent pool to increase the pace of innovation through software development in areas important to Volvo Cars - from core safety technologies based on a deep understanding of the causes of accidents, to driver perception and assistance algorithms and software for autonomous driving, Rowan said.
Plans are to have the centre up and running by the end of this year and employ around 120 people. - By the middle of the decade, we aim to employ between 500 and 600 people in Krakow, complementing and linking closely with our main engineering centres in China and Sweden, as well as our other technology centres around the world, the CEO says.
Why Krakow? Jim Rowan believes that our city is an emerging technology centre with a wide network of technology companies. It also has a large telecommunications sector, which has been a rich source of recruitment in other locations where Volvo has engineering centres (Sweden, India or China).
