A strategic collaboration agreement has been signed by Annika Olsson, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and Mats Moberg, Senior Vice President R&D at Volvo Cars.
“Our strategic partnership means that research and industry meet and jointly contribute to knowledge development. I look forward to working on the sustainable mobility solutions of the future in an expanded collaboration with Volvo Cars,” says Annika Olsson.
Volvo Cars has set the goal of being a climate-neutral company by 2040, and one way to achieve this is to collaborate on development issues.
“I am happy and proud that we now will deepen the collaboration with Lund University. I believe strongly in knowledge sharing and look forward to investigating new technologies together with the tech talents in the Öresund Region. This also gives us increased opportunities to participate in and contribute to research. All with the aim of driving change towards a better society,” according to Mats Moberg.
Five areas for mutual benefit and development
Lund University and Volvo Cars have jointly identified five areas that are important to both parties and will be developed through collaboration. Specifically, this includes electrification, wireless communication, security software, sustainable materials, and machine learning and AI. The ambition is that existing and future technologies in these areas will contribute to sustainable growth, innovation, attractiveness, and increased competitiveness for both Lund University and Volvo Cars.
“The five areas are all strong, well-established research branches at Lund University. So we have great opportunities to combine our strengths with Volvo Cars and find sustainable solutions and ways forward,” says Annika Olsson.
The meeting at the stop a starting shot
Today, about 60 people – researchers and industry representatives – are part of the collaboration between Lund University and Volvo Cars. As the joint work progresses, more employees will join. The collaboration agreement has been signed for a three-year period and can be extended for periods of two years.
From Volvo Cars’ Research and Development Office in Lund, Henrik Svensson, Head of Development, is involved.
“The partnership, which is already taking place in various forms, will allow us to take the co-operation to the next, more strategic level. I look forward to finding more opportunities for collaboration between our engineers and Lund University's researchers and students – the partnership will help us do this. Volvo Cars faces many interesting engineering challenges in the coming years, and I see that Lund University, with both its research and education programmes, can make important contributions here. Almost all the engineering knowledge needed to design a car is available here, right next to our own office at Ideon in Lund,” he says.
Henrik Svensson was one of those from Volvo Cars who was present when the discussion about this collaboration began. It was at the inauguration of the tramway in Lund in 2020 that he and future Dean Annika Olsson bumped into each other at the bus stop at the Faculty of Engineering. They decided to meet again to discuss how Lund University and Volvo Cars could expand their collaboration for the benefit of both parties and society at large.
The agreement on strategic cooperation has now been signed and the joint development efforts have begun.