cars news 10: Volvo S90 Sedan Teased Ahead of Detroit Debut

Volvo announced that the upcoming S90 sedan will be shown at the 2016 Detroit auto show, and has released teaser images of the flagship that will ride on the same SPA platform that underpins the 2016 Volvo XC90, Motor Trend’s SUV of the Year. Though we’ve technically seen what the S90, along with the V90 wagon variant, will look like through leaked photos of scale models, now we know we’ll only have to wait until January to see the sedan in the sheetmetal.

Volvo didn’t release any more details on the S90, but the Swedish automaker also said in a release that it’s working together with tech giant Microsoft to develop the next generation of automotive technologies including holographic vehicle configurators and autonomous technology.

With the new technology, Volvo customers will be able to use Microsoft HoloLens holographic glasses to configure their vehicle in three dimensions as if it were physically in front of them.

“HoloLens offers the freedom to create a bespoke experience which customers can steer themselves. Imagine using mixed reality to choose the type of car you want – to explore the colours and wheels, or get a better understanding of the features, services and options available,” said Björn Annwall, Senior Vice President, Marketing Sales and Service at Volvo Cars, in a release.

The new technology would allow dealers to set up configurators in small Pop-Up stores, shopping malls, or on the street. With more locations, Volvo hopes to expand its target audience for potential customers.

In addition to the holographic configurator, the two companies are also working on autonomous driving technology. Volvo also announced Drive-Me, a program where the automaker plans to have 100 self-driving and connected cars on the road of Gothenburg, Sweden, by 2017. The cars will be in the hands of regular customers. Information from the program will be used to develop predictive analytics to improve driving safety for autonomous cars.

Source: Volvo