Volvo Cars Opens New, State-Of-The-Art Software Testing Centre in Sweden

Volvo Cars’ new generation of fully electric Volvo cars is hardware-designed but software-defined. This creates exciting new models like the company’s flagship EX90 SUV and the small yet mighty EX30 SUV that improve over time thanks to regular, over-the-air software updates. 

Volvo Cars continuously invest in its in-house software development and testing capabilities as part of that strategy. Today, the company reveals one of its most significant investments: a new, state-of-the-art software testing centre in Gothenburg, Sweden, that amplifies Volvo‘s capacity for integrated software testing at all levels.

At around 22,000 square meters and representing an initial investment of approximately SEK 300 million, Volvo Cars‘ new software testing centre is the new flagship in our network of engineering centres and Tech Hubs worldwide. Volvo also operates software test centres in Lund, Sweden and Shanghai, China, but the company’s new Gothenburg facility has the largest size and capacity.

Volvo Cars will need that capacity because, as the company’s EX90 flagship demonstrates, the automotive industry is rapidly changing. The Volvo car of the future is fully electric, increasingly sold online, powered by cutting-edge core computers running in-house developed software and constantly improves over time thanks to regular over-the-air software updates.

That makes in-house software development and testing key to achieving Volvo Cars‘ strategic ambitions, which include being an industry leader in new technology and a fully electric car company by 2030.

“This is a state-of-the-art facility that will be the hub for our global software testing and validation activities,” said Anders Bell, our global head of R&D. “Developers from all our global engineering sites and tech hubs can run software tests here remotely, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. I firmly believe that with this new testing centre, we’ve set a new benchmark for the automotive industry.” 

The new software testing facility will initially employ around 100 people, expected to grow to 300 once the testing centre runs at total capacity. Eventually, the site will house around 500 testing rigs and digital test environments, up from almost 200.

The Gothenburg site will work closely with Volvo‘s other global engineering centres that play a central role in software development. Last month, the company established a new Tech Hub in Singapore, while it announced its plans for another software-focused Tech Hub in Krakow, Poland, in February.

“Our growing ranks of software engineers work on a wide variety of exciting challenges,” says Alwin Bakkenes, our global head of software engineering. “The aim is to boost our innovation speed by developing software for key areas for Volvo Cars – from core safety technology based on our deep understanding of what causes accidents to our perception and driver assistance algorithms and software for future autonomous driving.” 

Other software engineering challenges include developing Volvo’s next-generation connected features and supporting all its development work through data analytics. Volvo Cars is actively recruiting software engineers at various locations around the globe. For all the latest openings, check the company’s Careers page.

Apart from the sites in Krakow and Singapore, Volvo Cars operates Tech Hubs in Stockholm, Lund in Sweden, and Bangalore in India. The company also has large engineering centres in Shanghai, China and Gothenburg, Sweden. While each location has its focus area, it makes up a crucial network of innovation centres strategically spread around the globe.