Volvo Penta expands Glass Cockpit range

Swedish engine maker Volvo Penta says it has added ‘smart-boats’ to the list of technological advances which are revolutionising the way we live our lives.

The new generation of Glass Cockpit further develops the all-in-one system that enables marine-lovers to monitor and control every aspect of boating, from the propulsion system to navigation monitoring, and the cabin environment.

Performance, safety and comfort are integrated in a seamless, ergonomically designed interface to make boating easier.

As with the initial award-winning system that launched the concept of connecting a touch-screen pinch-to-zoom display to the Electronic Vessel Control (EVC) platform, the new Glass Cockpit is a unique system for marine applications.

Volvo Penta’s collaboration with navigation technology experts, Garmin, sees the latest Glass Cockpit system offering a greater range of displays between 7 and 24-inches on Garmin’s 7600 and 8600 series of multi-function displays (MFD), providing new features, including fully customisable layouts.

It means that drivers can pre-program which specific data they want to be displayed on a layout for any given operation, offering a tailor-made application that is relevant to particular situations, Volvo Penta says.

And, by linking customised layouts to the control and joystick, the driver can, for example, press an assigned button on the joystick that will activate the docking camera view on the display.

Functions such as Autopilot, Dynamic Positioning System, Interceptors and Sportfish Mode are also integral to the innovatively unified system.

Glass Cockpit is suitable for all types of leisure boats. By linking all propulsion power, monitoring and internal environmental controls together, the system is convenient for expert drivers and novices alike.

Volvo Penta says its smart boating solution with the Glass Screen is a reflection and extension of society and our connectivity with smart-phones and smart-cars. More from Volvo Penta Australia.