Volvo Technology Award for team behind Volvo Penta innovation

Volvo Technology Award for team behind Volvo Penta innovation 

A team of five engineers from different Volvo Group companies is to receive the
2010 Volvo Technology Award for its work in developing Volvo Penta's Dynamic
Positioning System - a system that maintains the boat in its current position.
The award will be presented by Volvo Group CEO Leif Johansson today, 14 April,
at the Volvo Group's AGM.

The 2010 Volvo Technology Award recognises some of the comprehensive further
development work carried out by Volvo Penta since the initial introduction of
EVC (Electronic Vessel Control), the electronic platform for leisure craft, in
1999, and the introduction of IPS (Inboard Performance System), its unique
propulsion system, in 2005.

DPS (Dynamic Positioning System), the innovation which has earned this year's
award, enables the driver to maintain the boat's current position and compass
heading  to within a couple of metres with just fingertip control. This is a
very useful function, for example when queuing to refuel, or waiting at locks or
opening bridges. 

DPS is controlled by a special program integrated in Volvo Penta's electronic
platform, EVC. An antenna with twin GPS receivers provides the system with
precise position and course information. The software uses this information to
control the engine speed, gear selection and slip functions, as well as the
drive units.

“It is five years since i presented the Volvo Technology Award for the
development of IPS, and I now have the pleasure of presenting it once again to
two of the winners on that occasion,” says Leif Johansson, president and CEO of
the Volvo Group. “Success breeds success when it comes to ongoing and innovative
engineering development. The recipients of this year's award also include a
number of young engineers from the Volvo subsidiary, CPAC Systems, in
recognition of their contribution to the DPS project.”

The development of DPS included every aspect of the drive system, from engine
and transmission to control system and HMI (Human-Machine Interface), in which
real-time synchronisation between the different elements is essential. One major
challenge for the engineers was the requirement that the system should be
equally suitable for boats of all types, since Volvo Penta works exclusively
with independent boatbuilders. In addition to being intuitive and offering a
high level of safety, the system also had to be error-tolerant and easy to
install. 

Following the major interest aroused by the IPS drive system and the resultant
high demand for it on the world market, Volvo Penta engineers, together with
colleagues from other units of the Volvo Group, continued their intensive
development work on the drive itself, as well as on various other accessories. 

A ‘joystick' for manoeuvring boats was introduced early in 2006 and has become
one of the most appreciated products in the boating world in recent years.
Autumn 2006 saw the launch of multiple installations of both three and four IPS
units in large yachts. A special sport fishing function appeared in 2007
followed, in 2009, by the introduction of a large IPS drive offering even higher
power.

Drawn from different Volvo Group companies, the five engineers that formed the
DPS development team were: 

Lennart Arvidsson (project manager and transmission specialist, Volvo Penta,
winner in 2005)
Oddbjörn Hallenstvedt (transmission specialist, Volvo Powertrain, winner in
2005)
Caroline Henriksson (system development and technical project manager, CPAC
Systems)
Anders Gunne (boat control algorithms, CPAC Systems) 
Marcus Brorsson (driveline control, CPAC Systems)
 
Instituted in 1988, the Volvo Technology Award is being presented this year for
the 23rd time. Its purpose is to recognise outstanding technological
achievements by Volvo Group personnel, which help to raise the Group's
technological image and promote initiatives that will advance its technological
expertise in the years ahead.

April 14, 2010

Reporters who want more information, please contact Mårten Wikforss, tel.
+46-31-66 11 27 or +46-705-59 11 49 

Visit
http://www.volvogroup.com/group/global/en-gb/productsandservices/researchandtech
nology/technology_award/Pages/promoting_innovation_since_1988.aspx to read more
(in English) about the Volvo Technology Award. 



Visit http://www.thenewsmarket.com/volvogroup to access broadcast-standard video
from Volvo Group. You can preview and request video, and choose to receive as a
MPEG2 file or by Beta SP tape. Registration and video is free to the media.

The Volvo Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses and
construction equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications,
aerospace components and services. The Group also provides complete solutions
for financing and service. The Volvo Group, which employs about 90,000 people,
has production facilities in 19 countries and sells their products in more than
180 markets. In 2009 annual sales of the Volvo Group amounted to about SEK 218
billion. The Volvo Group is a publicly-held company headquartered in Göteborg,
Sweden. Volvo shares are listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm. For more
information, please visit www.volvogroup.com or www.volvogroup.mobi if you are
using your mobile phone.