Volvo Construction Equipment’s Integrated Volvo Co-Pilot operator system has won a Red Dot Design Award in the Brands & Communication Design category.
The in-cab platform brings machine functions, camera views, productivity tools, communication and media into one system, rather than spreading them across separate screens, buttons and add-on systems.
It keeps navigation, layout and common functions consistent across Volvo CE’s haulers, excavators and wheel loaders, while adding work modes and features specific to each machine. Volvo CE says this shortens the learning curve for operators who move between machine types and reduces training time for fleet owners.
The camera system is part of the platform rather than an add-on. On a hauler climbing a steep incline, the front cameras switch on automatically to restore the operator’s view over the crest. On excavators, the system combines information from Volvo Smart View and Obstacle Detection, and because the machine system and Co-Pilot are integrated, safety functions can act directly on the machine.
Productivity tools in the platform include payload monitoring, Dig Assist, stability functions and boundary stop warnings.
“Great experience design is about making complex technology feel simple and intuitive for the people using it. Integrated Volvo Co-Pilot shows what we can achieve when design, engineering and machine platform teams come together around a shared vision, guided by insights from the operators themselves,” says Mikael Lundaby, head of experience design at Volvo Group Design.
“This Red Dot Design Award recognises not only the experience we’ve created, but also the years of collaboration, innovation and dedication behind it.”
Integrated Co-Pilot is already fitted to the Volvo A50 articulated hauler, which won a 2026 Red Dot Product Design Award. The platform supports over-the-air software updates.
“Integrated Volvo Co-Pilot combines a consistent operator experience across Volvo CE’s machine portfolio with the machine-specific functionality needed for different applications. That shared digital foundation makes it easier for operators to move between machines today, while enabling us to continuously enhance the experience through software updates in the future,” says Johanna Huggare, Volvo CE’s head of operator and electronic systems.
The original Volvo Co-Pilot was introduced at bauma 2016. The integrated version was developed by Volvo CE, Volvo Group and CPAC Systems.
The award was presented at the Red Dot Gala in Berlin on November 6.
