Volvo to get access to car safety technology through investment in Spectralics

Volvo Cars reveals that it can get access to promising technology at an early stage of development that could contribute to making cars safer, and revolutionize in-car user experience through the company’s investment in Spectralics. The said investment was made through the Swedish carmaker’s venture capital investment arm, Volvo Cars Tech Fund.

“This investment is another result of our successful collaboration with MobilityXlab and Drive, and it deepens our relationship with these innovation partners. Spectralics is a good portfolio fit for us and we believe that their technology has the potential to set a standard for the next generation of displays and cameras,” said Volvo Cars Tech Fund Head Lee Ma.

“Spectralics is an exciting company with technology that holds truly great promise. By supporting its development, we can bring forward the potential their products could have in future Volvo cars,” commented Volvo Cars Chief Product Officer Henrik Green.

Spectralics is an optical and imaging technology startup with a background in aerospace technology development. The Israeli-based company creates state-of-the-art imaging and optical infrastructure spanning materials, hardware, and software, enabling a wide variety of advanced optical capabilities.

One of Spectralics’ core products is the multi-layered thin combiner (MLTC), a new type of thin optics film applicable to see through surfaces of all shapes and sizes. When used on a car’s windshield or windows, MLTC could be used to project images on the glass.

In a car’s windshield, the technology could allow the projection of a heads-up-display (HUD), which Volvo says, “can instill a sense of distance as virtual objects are superimposed onto the real-world environment for a safe and immersive experience.”

Other potential uses of the technology include advanced filters for various applications, in-cabin sensing, blind-proof front-looking cameras, and digital holographic projections.

“We are proud to partner with a progressive technology leader like Volvo Cars. We identify multiple touch-points with Volvo Cars’ vision in the ecosystem and recognize future Volvos as the right fit for new technologies,” said Spectralics Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ran Bar-Yosef.

Photos from Volvo Cars and Spectralics

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