Volvo debuts centum typeface for safer, simpler in car interaction

The company says the new design aims to help drivers absorb information more quickly, maintain sharper concentration, and experience a calmer, more intuitive interface.

Centum takes its name from Volvo’s upcoming 100‑year milestone in 2027. It will first appear in the new Volvo EX60 before being introduced more broadly across the brand’s model range and digital ecosystems.

Volvo explains that the typeface has been shaped with an obsessive attention to detail, the weight of each stroke, the balance between characters, and the spacing of every letter have all been refined to reduce visual clutter. The result, according to the design team, is a typographic style that supports “clarity without distraction” and reflects the brand’s distinctly Scandinavian approach to restrained, functional design.

Matthew Hall, Volvo’s UX Creative Director, emphasised that typography plays a more vital role in driving than most people realise. He noted that users increasingly desire simpler, more composed interfaces, and that Centum forms part of a wider effort to bring a sense of calm and order to the driver display.

He adds that achieving this requires careful coordination, ensuring each on‑screen element is proportioned, positioned, and timed in a way that guides the driver rather than overwhelms them.

The typeface is engineered for consistency across screens and for readability in every lighting condition. It supports more than 800 languages and has been optimised for quick, glance‑based reading, essential for interfaces used while on the move.

Zeynep Akay, Creative Director at Dalton Maag, explained that designing for a moving environment demands a unique mindset. Centum, she says, has been crafted to remain clear and stable even when the vehicle is travelling at high speeds, offering reliable performance across multiple scripts and driving contexts.