NEWS - Volvo Penta signs agreement with Garmin

"Driving a boat should be easy. It should be enough simply to press the start button to power the entire system — in much the same way as a passenger car,” so says Volvo Penta’s president Göran Gummeson following the signing of an agreement between his company and Swiss electronics firm Garmin.

The new alliance will see Volvo Penta and Garmin jointly develop and market integrated propulsion and electronic systems creating a more user-friendly skipper’s environment.

“The better we are at offering technology that simplifies boating, the greater our potential to attract new customer groups," adds Gummeson.

According to Volvo Penta and Garmin, boatbuilders and end users in the marine industry are looking for increasingly complete and integrated system solutions for the entire chain from propeller to antenna.

As a result of the strategic alliance, Volvo Penta and Garmin will jointly develop marine instrumentation, navigation, and communication equipment, offering their customers complete and fully integrated drive systems and instruments.

Volvo Penta said the alliance would make it the world-leading one-stop-shop in the marine industry for engines, drivelines and system solutions for instruments and navigation, thereby creating important advantages for boatbuilders, dealers and end users.

"The Volvo Penta and Garmin strategic alliance will provide our mutual customers access to state-of-the-art communication technology and a complete programme of multifunctional instruments, which will significantly strengthen our world-leading position when it comes to complete, integrated drive systems for boats," says Gummeson.

“Garmin is honored to work with Volvo Penta,” said Cliff Pemble, Garmin’s president and COO. “This alliance allows Volvo Penta and Garmin to seamlessly combine the strengths of both companies to offer market-leading integrated system solutions that are of the best design and highest quality.”

As electronic systems continue to gain ground in the marine sector, Volvo Penta said the propulsion system in boats is being increasingly integrated in the driver's environment. The company is linking engines and transmissions with instruments, controls and accessories in the electronic platform known as EVC (Electronic Vessel Control). Using this electronic platform, Volvo Penta says it has been able to deliver products including the Joystick and the Dynamic Positioning System, making boating easier and more convenient for the end user.

Volvo Penta's and Garmin's joint products will be introduced successively, starting 2012.