Electronics and electrical systems in vehicles already count for about 15 percent of the value of a vehicle today. That amount will only increase with the electrification of powertrains in the coming years.

Complex systems expertise

Sweden, with its solid tradition of complex systems design and integration from the defense, aerospace and telecoms industries, will continue to play a leading role in this development, supported by state-funded programs such as Vehicle Information and Communication Technology (V-ICT). Strong clusters centered on the nation's vehicle manufacturers and characterized by the Swedish desire for cooperation across organizations and across sectors provide a rich environment for the development of tomorrow's electrical and electronic systems, for both on- and off-road vehicles. Sweden is the smart choice for intelligent vehicle development.    

Volvo's leading role

Volvo Cars' successes with its fourth generation of electric and electronics systems can be seen in the fact that it was singled out to lead the development in this area for Ford, Jaguar and Land Rover in Europe. Its engineers were also chosen to represent Ford within Autosar, the partnership for open and standardized automotive software architecture.

Volvo's presence at the heart of Sweden's automotive cluster has attracted many of the most innovative companies and leading reserchers in the field to Göteborg.

Scania famed for reliability

At Scania, which takes care of the complete development of strategic control systems in-house and whose electronics are among the most reliable in the industry, the number of electronic control units has grown from only a few 15 years ago to up to 30 today. And that development will only continue as the company pushes forward in its drive for safer, more fuel-efficient and more intelligent vehicles.