Check out Volvo Car Malaysia’s ‘Makers of Tomorrow’ exhibit at Bangsar Shopping Centre

In conjunction with Malaysia’s National Day, Volvo Car Malaysia celebrates another milestone that has helped keep our highways and roads slightly safer for 57 years and growing.

The Swedish carmaker entered the local market close to a decade after the peninsular gained independence, and both grew alongside the pursuit of automotive safety, which has now transitioned into environmental safety—as the brand moves into its electrification process.

In fact, Volvo was the first foreign carmaker to establish an automotive assembly plant in the country. In the 1960s, the carmaker was among the first few foreign investors in the newly independent nation and set up its assembly plant in Shah Alam; from here, it distributes its cars to other ASEAN markets today. The first ever model produced locally was the iconic Volvo 144 in 1967, followed closely by many other models including the range-topping Volvo XC90 seven-seater SUV in 2016 – Malaysia’s first locally-assembled plug-in hybrid and the first of the model to be assembled outside of Sweden!

Read more: The Volvo for Life campaign looks at safety differently

How has the brand made our roads safer? Through its leading technology and development regarding safety—which the brand has been renowned for. First and foremost, the invention of the three-point safety belt in 1959, with which Volvo did the noble thing and did not patent it so that other car producers could benefit from it.

Then there’s the beneficial Blind Spot Information System, which was introduced back in 2003, that notifies drivers of vehicles approaching from their blind spot. This breakthrough safety feature in the automotive world is also more common in other vehicles.

And of course, Volvo also lessens its carbon footprint by producing hybrid and electric vehicles, which are also made locally, such as the Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric. Since 2019, all new Volvo cars sold in Malaysia are partially or entirely battery-powered. It is Volvo’s way of providing a sustainable mobility experience that is safer for people and the environment.

Now, the local Volvo plant assembles thousands of cars annually, having employed generations of local talent and nurturing the economy through its ecosystem of dealerships, technicians, and after-sales offerings, as well as (figuratively) driving related industries.