Today we reveal plans to open a brand new Tech Hub in Krakow, Poland’s second-largest city. It will be a key software development centre and play a crucial role in our strategic ambitions to be a fully electric brand by 2030 and a leader in new technology, not least through in-house software development.
The Tech hub will carry full responsibility for developing complete and key features on our new fully electric cars, which are core to our purpose as a brand.
Our engineers in Krakow will join our global pool of talent 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 autonomous driving.
Other engineering challenges include developing our next generation connected features, or supporting all our development work through data analytics. If you want to help us shape the future of mobility, our new Krakow site will be the place to be.
We intend to have our new Tech Hub operational by the end of this year, with around 120 bright engineering minds in place. By mid-decade, we aim to employ between 500 and 600 people in Krakow, complementing and closely linked to our core engineering centres in China and Sweden, as well as our other tech hubs around the world.
Software-defined
As our recently revealed, all-electric Volvo EX90 SUV demonstrates, the automotive industry is rapidly changing and our forthcoming fully electric cars will all be software-defined.
The Volvo car of the future will be fully electric, increasingly sold online, powered by cutting-edge core computers running in-house developed software and become better over time thanks to regular over-the-air software updates.
That makes in-house software development key to achieving our strategic ambitions, which include being a leader in new technology and a pure electric car brand by 2030. To accelerate our transformation, we’re recruiting thousands of engineering talents around the globe and the Krakow hub will be another piece in that puzzle.
"We’re a purpose-led and technology-driven company, so our new generation of Volvo cars will be more than just transport," said Jim Rowan, our chief executive. "They’ll be computers on wheels, designed to be updated over the air with new software. That means our Krakow tech hub and growing our in-house software development capabilities are key to our future success."
Naturally, we picked Krakow after careful deliberation. We know the country well – we’ve had a presence in Poland for around 30 years – and the city is an emerging tech centre, with a broad network of tech firms in the region. It also has a large telecom sector, an industry which has been a rich source of recruits at other locations where we have engineering centres.
On top of that, while other large, global tech companies also have a presence in Poland, many haven’t discovered Krakow just yet. We’d be the first car maker with a significant engineering presence, which makes it a perfect location for our new Tech Hub. Now we’ll start to build networks and find talent, so our new office can be up and running by the end of the year.
"Our ambition is to attract and recruit top talent globally by being present in strategically important locations," said Hanna Fager, our chief people officer. "Our new Tech Hub in Krakow is a perfect example of that. So if you're interested in shaping the future of mobility with a brand that’s at the forefront of technology development, and inspired to be part of nurturing our strong culture and values, Volvo Cars is the place for you."
We currently operate Tech Hubs in Stockholm and Lund in Sweden, as well as in Bangalore in India. We also have large engineering centres in Shanghai, China and Gothenburg, Sweden. While each of these locations has its own focus area, together they make up a crucial network of innovation centres strategically spread around the globe.
