Volvo builds safety thinking into its new custom typeface

Volvo Cars has introduced Volvo Centum, a bespoke typeface designed to improve readability and reduce visual distraction for drivers.

Developed with type studio Dalton Maag, the font supports 35 languages, including Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, and Korean, and is optimised for in-car interfaces and other platforms.

Volvo Centum will debut in the Volvo EX60, with a wider rollout across other models and touchpoints. The name references Volvo Cars’ centennial in 2027.

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

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

Volvo is not the only carmaker to undergo a refresh. In July last year, Bentley Motors revamped its 'Winged B' emblem, marking its most significant brand update in more than a century. 

Compared to its predecessor, the updated wings are sharper, more dramatic, and draw inspiration from the angular wings of a Peregrine Falcon. The lower feathers have been removed entirely, and the centre jewel now features refined detailing reminiscent of luxury watchmaking, complete with bevelled edges and a three-dimensional "B" set beneath the surface. The jewel is also designed to stand alone as a graphic element for future applications.

Jaguar's 2024 refreshed brand identity also featured a new logo, sparking controversy among netizens, with many expressing disappointment or outrage. Criticisms included the perceived "lack of innovation and creativity" in the new design, as well as concerns about the potential impact on the company's identity and values, said a CARMA spokesperson at the time. 

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