Remember the camouflaged Volvo ES90 that had the ‘Selamat’ wordmark brandished onto its sides? Well, as it turns out, it’s part of a guerrilla marketing campaign for Volvo Car Malaysia’s (VCM) latest road safety initiative, which the company calls “an entirely new car brand”, dubbed ‘Selamat’.
So why ‘Selamat’? VCM explains that the word has a double meaning here in Malaysia. In an everyday context, it’s most often used to wish each other well – think selamat pagi, or safe journey, selamat jalan. But in isolation, the world also means safety – which, as we all know, is pretty much synonymous with the Volvo brand.
It’s a commitment that Volvo has upheld here in Malaysia since 1966, when it started operating the first automotive assembly plant in the country. And now, VCM has unveiled its latest “integrated campaign” to bring the marque’s core value to the forefront, of course, with a slightly localised context.
Throughout the year, the brand will be hosting a series of on-ground activation events as well as educational initiatives, all designed to “transform road safety from a regulatory mandate into a shared culture”. Expect to see a series of digital outdoor and online materials, and also the ES90 and its special camo wrap, all designed specifically for the Selamat campaign.
These efforts will build towards the Selamat Drive, which is slated for Q2 2026. VCM says the “flagship driving event” will allow Malaysians to experience the synergy between safe driving habits and Volvo’s innovative technologies in a real-world environment.
Speaking on the launch of the Selamat campaign, Volvo Car Malaysia Sales and Marketing Director, Patricia Yaw, said: “The electric vehicle landscape in Malaysia is growing fast. New brands are entering the market, many of which assert their own claim towards advanced technology and safety.”
“In a world where everyone says they are safe, safety risks becoming just another feature, something spoken about, but rarely felt. For Volvo, safety has never been a claim. Selamat reflects our belief that true progress lies in giving drivers confidence, foresight, and peace of mind on every journey. As mobility continues to evolve, Selamat ensures that human life remains at the centre of everything we do,” she added.
Every modern Volvo car now comes equipped with the marque’s Safe Space Technology, a catch-all term for all of its safety systems designed to keep the occupants in their cars as safe as possible, including a physical safety cell made out of high-strength steel, alongside a whole suite of software smarts. Aside from passive safety, Volvo cars also use real-world live data, artificial intelligence, and continuous software updates to help predict ,adapt to, and prevent risks before they even happen.
In the near future, Volvo will also be introducing the new Multi-Adaptive Safety Belt starting with the EX60, marking the biggest development in seat belt technology since the three-point belt was invented – by none other than Volvo themselves back in 1959. That, by the way, is perhaps the biggest demonstration of Volvo’s core value, because by making the seat belts patent open, the one single innovation is estimated to have saved more than one million lives worldwide, while earning Volvo exactly zero dollars.
READ MORE: Locally assembled 2026 Volvo ES90 launched in Malaysia – RWD, 651 km range, RM340k
According to Department of Statistics Malaysia’s data, 4,428 transport-related fatalities were recorded in the country in 2024. Of those, 2,547 deaths were for populations aged 15-40 years, making it the primary cause of death for that age group.
Volvo says that in this context, Selamat is more than just an abstract concept, but rather a word that carries an even more personal meaning that reflects a genuine wish for protection and well-being, as it affects families, communities, and lives every single day.
We’ll see soon enough what VCM has in store for us this year, but for starters, perhaps it’s time for everyone to be more selamat on the roads by being more attentive to our surroundings, and most importantly, being more patient.
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