Volvo Cars' in-car control interface, Sensus, has been awarded the title of 'Most Innovative HMI System' at the 2015 Car HMI Concept & Systems conference in Berlin.

The award singled out Volvo Cars as being at the forefront of HMI (Human Machine Interface) design and was based on the level of innovation, intuitiveness, complexity and operational safety that the Sensus system delivers.

Based on global user experience research, Volvo Cars' Sensus system has developed a measured response to users' emotional and physical needs and has redefined in-car control systems with its easy-to-use touch interface and smart tiling system.

The Sensus HMI solution is comprised of the centre touch display, the driver information cluster and an optional Head-Up Display (HUD). Volvo Cars designed the system based on the concept that some information is more important and time critical than others.

"We were very conscious when designing the Sensus interface that safety should be our key concern, along with usability. With this architecture we have delivered an interface that holds no surprises for our customers and delivers a feeling of relaxed control that is central to the Volvo brand identity," said Dr Thomas Müller, Vice President Electrical and Electronics Systems Engineering at Volvo Car Group.

Infrared sensing

Unlike most touch solutions in the auto industry Volvo Cars' Sensus system is built using a unique infrared sensing technology that allows drivers to operate the system while wearing gloves and also ensures a more robust and responsive system.

Using a four-tile flat menu structure and just one home button, the Sensus HMI system's user-centric approach has reduced interaction steps, thereby reducing potential for distraction.

For the 2014 financial year, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of 2,252 MSEK (1,919 MSEK in 2013). Revenue over the period amounted to 129,959 MSEK (122,245 MSEK). For the full year 2014, global sales reached a record 465,866 cars, an increase of 8.9 per cent versus 2013. The record sales and operating profit cleared the way for Volvo Car Group to continue investing in its global transformation plan.

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About Volvo Car Group
Volvo has been in operation since 1927. Today, Volvo Cars is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales of 465,866 in 2014 in about 100 countries. Volvo Cars has been under the ownership of the Zhejiang Geely Holding (Geely Holding) of China since 2010. It formed part of the Swedish Volvo Group until 1999, when the company was bought by Ford Motor Company of the US. In 2010, Volvo Cars was acquired by Geely Holding.

As of December 2014, Volvo Cars had over 26,000 employees worldwide. Volvo Cars head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars head office for China is located in Shanghai. The company's main car production plants are located in Gothenburg (Sweden), Ghent (Belgium) and Chengdu (China), while engines are manufactured in Skövde (Sweden) and Zhangjiakou (China) and body components in Olofström (Sweden).