Auto manufacturer Volvo has introduced a new safety technology across its European fleet, which allows vehicles to communicate with each other and alert drivers of nearby slippery road conditions and hazards via a cloud-based network.
The technology was first introduced in 2016 in Sweden and Norway, but it will be extended across Europe as a standard feature on all 2020 model year Volvos, and can be retrofitted on select earlier models.
When an equipped Volvo switches on its hazard lights, it sends a signal to nearby, cloud-connected Volvo cars to warn approaching drivers. The slippery road alert provides drivers with data about current road conditions as well as future road conditions by anonymously sourcing data from connected Volvos navigating upcoming roadways.
The goal for safety data exchange between cars is to help avoid accidents, Volvo said. By alerting people to dangers ahead in a timely manner, drivers can quickly adapt to slippery or snowy conditions, and are alert to other hazards in the road ahead.
Volvo plans to invite other car companies to share traffic safety data to expand the safety of all cars, not just those manufactured by Volvo.
“The more vehicles we have sharing safety data in real time, the safer our roads become. We hope to establish more collaborations with partners who share our commitment to safety,” said Malin Ekholm, head of Volvo Cars Safety Centre.
This latest move to increase driver and vehicle safety follows Volvo’s recent initiative to put a speed cap on its future cars. This speed cap will not go into effect until model year 2021 vehicles. The company also recently installed in-car cameras and other sensors to monitor the driver and allow the car to intervene if someone is clearly intoxicated or distracted.
