The new Volvo EX30 appears to have taken some notes from Tesla

The EX30 is Volvo’s smallest-ever SUV, not much larger than a Nissan Juke in length. But the company claims it’s an ‘espresso shot of Volvo’ – all the Swedes’ usual practicality and safety shoehorned into a smaller footprint.

As such, there’s been plenty of interior jiggery pokery to ensure there’s still plenty of space for family life. A central glovebox increases front passenger legroom, while a soundbar on the dashboard removes the need for speakers in the doors, whose cubbyholes now store a bottle of water without qualms.

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“Our research shows it’s not so much where the info is displayed, but how user-friendly the interface is designed”

A central portrait screen hoovers up almost all controls and displays, including a traditional instrument display – the speedometer included. It all feels very ‘Tesla’ and for a safety conscious-brand like Volvo. Surely the distraction of having to flick your eyes from the road feels like a contradiction of its hard-won reputation…

“Our research shows it’s not so much where the info is displayed, but how user-friendly the interface is designed,” says senior UX designer Christoph Zobl.

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"... people spend 80 per cent of their time looking at the road and 20 per cent at something else"

“We need everything to be as glanceable as possible. The last test we did showed people spend 80 per cent of their time looking at the road and 20 per cent at something else. So it’s trying to reduce the latter figure by making tasks as quick as possible.”

Moving the speedo into the central screen “takes getting used to”, he admits, “but with less screens we’re more environmentally friendly. There are less components to manufacture.”

The ability to share digital entry to the EX30 via smartphone achieves the same goal – allowing the car to cover more miles than with an individual user with fewer keys produced in the process.