Volvo Car Unveils New Mobility Platform Called 'M'

Volvo cars has unveiled a new mobility services platform called 'M', which will provide global mobility operations along with on-demand access to cars and services through a new app. M is intelligent enough to learn about its user's needs, preferences, habits, which will help the company to personalise customer relationship. The app will first debut in the early 2019 in USA and Sweden. The 'M' platform is developing proprietary learning technology that asks users about their specific needs instead of merely informing them where they can pick up a car.

"Volvo Cars is becoming more than just a car company. We recognise that urban consumers are rethinking traditional car ownership. M is part of our answer. We are evolving to become a direct-to-consumer services provider under our new mission 'Freedom to Move'," said Hakan Samuelsson, Volvo Cars president and chief executive.

M is also taking data and learnings from Sunfleet, which has been Volvo's car-sharing division for the last 20 years. Sunfleet is the one of the leading car-sharing companies in Sweden with almost 500,000 annual transactions and a fleet of 1,700 cars. Sunfleet will be fully integrated into the M platform by 2019, making the service available to all existing Sunfleet members and Volvo customers.

The launch of the M platform will also be a source of new revenue for Volvo and its target of having 5 million direct consumer relationships by 2025. The headquarters of Volvo's M brand will be in Stockholm, Sweden where the company will begin beta testing towards the end of 2018.