Volvo Cars and the City of Gothenburg in new collaboration: To create a climate-neutral city

Reducing the number of cars in the city is completely in line with Volvo Cars’ purpose, says CEO Håkan Samuelsson.

The City of Gothenburg wants to gradually reduce traffic in the inner city and aim for the city to be climate-neutral by 2030. Therefore, they join forces with Volvo Cars in the initiative Gothenburg Gothenburg Green City Zone, whose purpose is to create a completely emission-free part of the city with climate-neutral modes of transport and a connected infrastructure.

From Volvo’s point of view, they are pleased to have the opportunity to test new technology sharply in their own hometown. It will accelerate the development of electrification, shared mobility, autonomous driving and new safety features. Volvo will also test drive autonomous robot taxis in the area, a product that is under development at the subsidiary M.

– Basically, we initiate a project that aims to limit the number of cars in the city – which is completely in line with our company’s purpose. We want to be involved in creating the cities of the future and ensure that they continue to be habitable. This initiative gives us an opportunity to do just that and take responsibility in our own hometown at the same time, says Håkan Samuelson, CEO of Volvo Cars.

Another example of technology to be tested is so-called geo-fencing. A technology that BMW has been a driving force in developing. Simply put, this means that with the help of GPS technology you can “fence in” an area that is emission-free. Charging hybrids that approach the fenced area then make sure to switch to electric power only when you have passed into the zone. If the battery is not sufficiently charged, the car uses the internal combustion engine to charge the battery before reaching the emission-free area.

One criticism of that system is that in practice it only moves emissions from one place to another, rather than reducing them.

But technology can too be used for other purposes, such as speed monitoring and a traffic infrastructure that can share information between road users.

We want to use our knowledge and technology to help create a future city that is electrified, connected, shared and climate neutral. This is an opportunity to lead by example, by testing new technology and services in a vibrant large-scale environment, we can show that if it is possible here, then it is possible anywhere, says Henrik Green, Chief Technology Officer at Volvo Cars .

Within these zones it should in addition, there is an easy-to-use charging network for electric cars and, in the long run, self-driving taxis. The Green City Zone initiative will now begin in the spring and will be stepped up and expanded gradually.