Volvo cars and trucks can now inform each other of hazards
A new cloud-based service called Connected Safety will allow Volvo cars and trucks to automatically alert each other to hazardous traffic situations.
Volvo Cars and Volvo Trucks are actually separate entities but with the Connected Safety service the two are able to share real-time data to help prevent accidents.
Connected Safety will be rolled out this year starting in Sweden and Norway. It relies on an existing cloud-based service used by Volvo Cars since 2016, where the automaker's cars are able to anonymously send out warnings to other cars connected to the cloud service whenever the hazard lights are switched on. This is particularly useful on blind corners and over the crest of hills in the road.
Adding Volvo Trucks’ fleet to the service will allow Connected Safety to cover more area, identify more potential hazards and thus improve overall traffic safety. In the longer term, Connected Safety will be expanded with additional safety-enhancing functions, for example warning of slippery roads, and perhaps see other firms joining in.
Yes, it's still early days for the service but its implementation represents an important step toward achieving a critical mass of connected vehicles that could lead to vehicle accidents approaching the zero mark.
And the two Volvo brands are certainly not alone in this field. Other firms are developing systems that integrate vehicle sensors and communicate with surrounding infrastructure. This ability is one of the core pillars of many self-driving systems as it enables cars to have a complete understanding of the surrounding area.
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