Maria Ebbesson is the Site Head of Volvo Group Trucks Technology and VP of Vehicle Engineering, with over 25 years of experience at Volvo Group. She has held key roles in product development and management across Sweden, the USA, and China. Maria holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA in International Business Management, bringing both technical expertise and strategic insight to her leadership.
Can you talk about third agreement Volvo Group signed with Daimler – for Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs)?
Volvo has entered into a joint venture with Daimler, called Matrix, focused on software development and high-capacity electronic control units (ECUs). Much of the work involves electrical architecture and systems that aren’t unique to each brand and don’t significantly enhance the customer experience. This partnership allows both companies to collaborate on core functions and streamline development efforts, reducing costs and ultimately delivering better products to the market.
How a truck maker like Volvo look at SDV?
We are moving toward zonal architectures, aligning with the rapid advancements seen in the passenger car industry, which is progressing at a faster pace. This shift is also happening in the commercial vehicle sector, with a broader view of trucks as part of a comprehensive ecosystem. This ecosystem includes various services and functions, enhancing the overall utility of the vehicle. In commercial vehicles, there's significant potential for optimisation, especially in how products are utilised. This includes identifying optimal transport routes and minimising empty transports. For instance, in mining, it’s essential to balance workload with efficient fuel use and road conditions, ensuring smooth operations while minimising environmental impact.
This SDV transformation promises streamlined, end-to-end solutions, enhancing the overall customer experience. Instead of customers needing separate systems or add-ons after acquiring a truck, they now receive more complete, integrated solutions. India plays a crucial role in Volvo’s data-centric solutions, housing the largest R&D site outside Sweden.
What key trends do you consider for future product development?
In line with the global shift toward electrification and sustainable transportation, Volvo’s three-pronged strategy aims for a fully fossil-free product portfolio by 2040, with the objective that all vehicles in use will be fossil-free by 2050. This vision recognises varying regional progress in sustainability and addresses global and local needs for carbon-neutral mobility solutions.
The three-pronged strategy focuses on a balanced approach to vehicle power sources: battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) will play significant roles, while internal combustion engines (ICEs) will remain in specific applications and markets. However, ICEs will run on alternative, fossil-free fuels to align with sustainability goals.
How does Volvo Group address evolving customer needs with emerging technologies like EVs, ADAS, and alternate fuels?
Engineering efforts at Volvo span adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, and comprehensive warning systems to enhance road safety. These technologies are designed to respond effectively to diverse scenarios, prioritising driver and passenger protection.
Leveraging digitalisation and extensive data processing, Volvo’s systems anticipate various real-world situations and virtually recreate them for rigorous testing before market release, ensuring robust performance and safety under real-world conditions. These features are already deployed in Volvo’s products globally.
Volvo is eager to see broader adoption of advanced technologies in India, particularly given the country’s challenging traffic conditions. These innovations hold great potential to reduce traffic accidents significantly. For truck and bus operators, these technologies also offer clear business value, helping them see a positive return on investment through enhanced safety and efficiency.
Volvo has also since long provided solutions for route optimisation, fuel efficiency, and other operational improvements.
Last year we have introduced more new models than ever; the all-new VNL in North America, the aero range of Volvo FH/FM models for Europe, the updated Renault Heavy Duty and HD electric. Our development efforts for additional technical solutions and updated models continue with unabated effort.
What are the engineering challenges you face in deploying alternate materials?
In engineering, challenges are viewed as opportunities, a mindset that drives innovation. Sustainability, though a broad topic, stands as one of the most significant challenges. While the focus on climate change and the need for sustainable practices was prominent a few years ago, today, many other issues compete for attention. However, the commitment to transformation and sustainability remains strong. At Volvo, this is demonstrated through advancements in technology for fossil-free vehicles and materials.
For instance, Volvo has partnered with Indian suppliers like Rane (Madras) Ltd and Madras Engineering Industries Private Limited (MEI) to produce fossil-free tie rods and casting components, both using 100% renewable energy in production and supply chains. This expansion of fossil-free sourcing to additional components brings a potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 13,000 tonne annually when introduced in Q12025.
As recognition for these initiatives, Volvo has been awarded the Leadership Award for ‘Excellence in Green Supply Chain Management’ at the CII Green Pro Summit 2024. The recognition highlights the company's commitment to sustainability, particularly its use of renewable energy in the manufacturing process.
How will you encourage customers to choose trucks made with sustainable but costly materials?
Volvo is proud to be acknowledged for its ongoing efforts to drive sustainability and reduce environmental impact. We're focusing on the use of renewable materials, considering both cost and sustainability. For example, the company is using scrap metal for castings, reducing waste and promoting resource efficiency. In addition to sourcing eco-friendly materials, Volvo is committed to eliminating toxic substances and hazardous processes throughout its manufacturing. This effort extends to ensuring the responsible disposal of batteries at the end of their lifecycle, aligning with the company's broader sustainability goals. Research is actively underway to explore ways to repurpose and reuse electric vehicle batteries. One straightforward approach is to repurpose them for secondary applications, such as in generators.
What progress has Volvo made on hydrogen combustion engine trucks?
Volvo is making significant strides with hydrogen technology, supported by a strong technical foundation. Their solution includes High Pressure Direct Injection (HPDI) technology, originally developed for LNG, in collaboration with Westport Fuel Systems. This long-standing partnership led to the launch of the first natural gas trucks in Europe in 2017. Volvo’s newly formed joint venture Cespira strengthens this innovation further. The HPDI technology, initially designed for LNG, is now being adapted for hydrogen, reflecting a European trend that is gaining even more momentum in India.
How does Volvo meet customer expectations in vehicle engineering?
Volvo has a comprehensive range of engineering functions in India, including Vehicle Engineering, Vehicle Technology, Powertrain, and Electromobility for electric vehicles. The team works on the entire truck assembly, from the cab and chassis to advanced electrical systems, ECUs, and driver technologies. With over 1,500 people in India, the engineering functions support global projects while also catering to local manufacturing needs. As an R&D centre, we develop services and solutions catering to the needs and requirements from customers and markets.
One example of how Volvo works to meet and exceed customer expectations is the newly launched Augmented Reality (AR) safety app for electric trucks, designed specifically to support first responders in an emergency. The app is developed to deliver instant, valuable information from the electric truck to the emergency services team arriving on the scene to guide them in real-time and ensure safe rescue conditions and Volvo Group is the first truck manufacturer to launch this kind of solutionBy using a combination of connectivity, camera, sensors, 3D modeling, and augmented reality overlays, the safety app can provide first responders with a detailed view of the vehicle. It offers information on the location of high-voltage cables, battery packs, and other key components as well as step-by-step instructions on how to safely shut down the electric vehicle’s power supply in case of an emergency.
Another example is the Volvo Safety zone solution. While driving carefully is the best general safety actions, one can also help drivers to follow regulations by defining zones with a firm maximum speed. Inside the zone, the vehicle simply cannot exceed the preset level. ‘Volvo Safety Zones’ is a refinement of geofencing technology where we add intelligence and functionality to the vehicle. This is created in the Fleet Management user interface. One simply sets the borders of a zone and set the maximum speed permissible. Areas close to schools and public parks are obvious applications, but so too are hazardous stretches of roads.
Also Read:
Volvo Group, Daimler Truck Seal Deal For New JV To Develop Next-Gen SDV Platform