With its 25th anniversary, WirelessCar marks a quarter century of transformative growth and innovation in the automotive industry. Gothenburg-based WirelessCar was founded as a joint venture by Ericsson, Volvo and Telia to develop and market complete solutions for mobile e-services to vehicle manufacturers and fleet operators. From its early days as a telematics service provider to its current position as a global leader of connected vehicle services, WirelessCar has been at the forefront of digitalization, connectivity, and customer-oriented mobility solutions.
WirelessCar was created to bridge the gap between the automotive industry and the world of software and telecommunications. The company began in 1999 as a creative start-up in a technologically revolutionary era, adapting to new communication systems and rapid technological developments.
“As a company, we were never intimidated by rapid technological developments,” said Jan Hellåker, the first CEO of WirelessCar. “On the contrary, we were eager to stay on top of things and innovate as much as we could early on.
In its early years, WirelessCar played a pivotal role in developing the first telematics services for Volvo Cars, including Volvo On Call. Since then, WirelessCar’s collaboration with Volvo has evolved from basic emergency services to comprehensive connected car solutions. Over the years, WirelessCar has developed similar services for many other OEMs as well.
In the past twenty-five years, WirelessCar has grown from a handful of enthusiasts to an international company of nearly 750 people from over 34 countries. WirelessCar’s growth has been predicated upon a strong focus on true customer value, both in terms of the services we develop and our way of working.
“We provide smart digital services for both resource efficient and user-friendly mobility to our customers,” said Anna Petersson, VP People & Culture at WirelessCar. “Our success also comes from fostering curiosity, courage, and inclusion in the entire organization.”
Today, the company works with many global OEM brands, connecting more than 12 million vehicles and providing services in over 100 markets worldwide. Magnus Johansson, who has worked with Business Development at WirelessCar since its inception, reflected on the company’s journey:
“Over the past 25 years, we have evolved into a leading force in the connected car services space, but our success was never a given. The road has been bumpy from time to time, but our persistence and our owners’ strong belief in the organization’s mission allowed us to adapt, evolve, and achieve something great.”
With its 25th anniversary, WirelessCar’s evolution from an integrator to an innovator of connected vehicle services stands as a testament to its commitment to meeting customer expectations and shaping industry trends.
In today’s rapidly changing connected world, WirelessCar continues to be a trusted partner collaborating with global OEMs in realizing trends in automotive digitalization. In addition to developing customer-specific mobility solutions, WirelessCar delivers off-the-shelf products that bring direct value to OEMs and their customers. By combining flexibility and innovation with highly reliable and globally available services, WirelessCar continued to expand its business in 2023 with three new OEM customers, with additional collaborations expected in 2024.
Niklas Florén, CEO of WirelessCar: “Connected vehicle services have become an everyday reality, but with the pace of change we see today, I know WirelessCar is only getting started. Our twenty-five years of experience combined with our efficiency, ambition, and adaptability, allows us to help the OEMs embrace this pace and be even faster. The opportunities in innovative services for electric vehicles, safety and security, and autonomous are vast. Together—alongside our customers and partners—we look forward to making them a reality in 2024 and beyond.”
