Questions & Answers

Every six weeks or so we have a webcast for all people in Product Creation. Everyone attending is encouraged to send in questions. We answer as many as we can live and try to answer the remaining questions after.

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All questions from our employees and the answers to them are shared internally – some unfortunately too exciting for LinkedIn. So below follows a selection!

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Take care!

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//Henrik

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Q: What's new actually, technically with the C40?

A: Very little. It is to 99% a new design, with a new level of trunk versatility. In many ways to the XC40 what a classic 240 was to the 245. Beautiful. Expressive. Emotional. Probably as far as we should ever go in terms of being an ego-car. Three things I noticed immediately comparing to my XC40. It is more silent. It drives slightly more comfortable. And the steering wheel has a slightly more desirable touch and feel (non-leather). XC40 vs C40 side-by-side very close call, probably the C40 for the three things I just mentioned and I love the lift-gate trunk lid.

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Q: Big fan of the direction and evolving with an ever-changing society. In order to stay relevant, avoid disruption and be disruptive - How are we thinking about ML, AI, tech innovation, re platform needs etc.

A: Short: We need more!

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Q: I like that you are clear on that no part of the company has a "monopoly" on digital or engineering! Does that mean that some parts of the existing digital working close with (for example) Manufacturing or R&D should join that organization in order to avoid competition? Or do you want competition within the company?

A: Apologies if I misinterpret your intention, but reading your choice of rhetoric’s, they seem to imply to me that you suggest - “if you don’t join me, you’re against me” which is of course not the mentality I look for. I don’t see “monopoly” to be a good solution for anything, especially not what you are allowed to do inside a big company. I see collaboration between people and teams. Very little if any focus on “to whom do I belong” (yourself I hope!) or “us against them” (it is we together).????

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Q: How do we know that our customers are ready to go ONLINE?

A: Well, if you are not, you can still walk into a Volvo retailer and get human support ordering your car (online). Actually, my parents were somewhat disappointed, as I had promised them they could buy their XC40 Electric online (in Sweden) and they had to go and visit the retailer to complete the transaction. They received excellent service once there, but the trip felt unnecessary. Don’t underestimate the generation that currently powers Facebook.

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Q: What about the Data & Analytics team? In an everchanging world we need to enable fast and agile data driven decisions. How do we enable that across the enterprise?

A: We need to! Super high priority!

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