Let the Eclipse Shine, Volvo Style

Volvo Car Corp. has designed a special sunroof cover for its XC60 large crossover model that will allow occupants to safely view next week’s solar eclipse from inside their vehicle.

The protective filter is made from an ISO-certified material—the same used in approved solar glasses—and has a magnetized frame that attaches to the roof to cover the entire surface of the panoramic sunroof. Viewing the eclipse with the naked eye or through conventional sunglasses, even briefly, could result in permanent eye damage or blindness.

Volvo will market the XC60 eclipse viewer at select retailers and dealers along the eclipse’s primary path in the U.S., with priority given to facilities in Idaho, Missouri, Nebraska, Oregon and South Carolina. The company also plans to live stream the eclipse from four locations in 360° virtual reality online at www.racingthesun.com.

Next week’s event will be the first total solar eclipse—when the moon passes between the sun and Earth to block all sunlight—viewable across the contiguous U.S. since 1918. The eclipse can be seen along a 67-mile-wide path in 14 states, starting at 10:15 a.m. local time in Oregon and finishing at in South Carolina. The longest duration will last nearly 3 minutes in Carbondale, Ill. A partial eclipse will be visible in all 50 states.