Volvo to introduce ‘safety in mind’ in-vehicle typeface on EX60

In collaboration with type studio Dalton Maag, Volvo Cars has created an in-vehicle bespoke typeface that it says is designed for faster reading, sharper attention, and a calmer driving experience.

Called Centum, the typeface is a reference to Volvo’s upcoming centennial in 2027. It will make its debut in the forthcoming Volvo EX60, with a wider rollout planned across other models and touchpoints.

“Every curve, every terminal, every spacing decision was engineered to reduce visual noise and let drivers focus on what matters – safety, clarity, simplicity,” a Volvo press release states. “Think of it as Scandinavian design for your eyes in motion.”

“Every detail in our interface is an opportunity to support safer driving,” said Matthew Hall, Volvo Car UX creative director, in the release. “Typography is one of the most powerful, yet underappreciated, tools we have.”

In the above video, Hall noted that “users are craving simplicity.”

“That’s been our approach to interface design,” he said. “We want to make sure we have the right choreography of elements timed perfectly — the size and scale of elements tuned well — so that we’re able to bring and prepare users; create that place of calm so they can go out and drive in the complex world that we live in and do so safely.”

The typeface is compatible across all platforms and driving conditions, and is available in over 800 languages, with optimized performance for in-car interfaces and other applications, the release states.

“Designing for motion and glance-based reading requires a different mindset,” said Zeynep Akay, Dalton Maag creative director, in the release. “This is typography engineered to perform under pressure, across languages, and at 100 km/h [62 mph].”

Images

Featured image provided by Volvo Cars