Volvo has expanded its connected vehicle safety technology, allowing some of its newest electric cars to warn other drivers about hazards including cyclists, pedestrians, large animals, roadworks and accidents ahead.
The additional Connected Safety functions are available on the Volvo EX60, EX90 and ES90.
The technology allows compatible vehicles to share information through an internet connection rather than relying solely on what the driver can immediately see through the windscreen.
For example, if a compatible Volvo detects a large animal such as a deer or sheep on or near the road, information about the hazard can be uploaded so other connected vehicles approaching the same location can receive an advance warning.
The system can also provide warnings relating to vulnerable road users, including unexpected pedestrians and cyclists.
Volvo’s UK support documentation says the pedestrian and bicycle warning is intended particularly for situations where vulnerable road users create an unexpected hazard, such as on a motorway.
Additional alerts can warn drivers about roadworks and accidents further along their route.
The new functionality builds on Volvo’s existing Connected Safety technology, which has previously allowed vehicles to share information about slippery road conditions and cars operating their hazard warning lights.
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Connected Safety relies on vehicles having the feature available and enabled, as well as an active internet connection. The road being travelled must also be included within Volvo’s supporting database.
That means drivers should not assume every hazard will automatically generate an alert.
Volvo specifically warns that Connected Safety is not a replacement for normal safe driving and says motorists remain responsible for driving with the same level of attention they would use in a vehicle without the technology.
The company has been developing connected hazard warnings for around a decade. More than one million Volvo vehicles are now reported to have connected safety functionality activated globally.
The latest development is particularly interesting because it moves vehicle safety beyond systems that protect only the car detecting the hazard.
A vehicle that spots a problem first can potentially provide advance information to another driver who has not yet reached it, giving that motorist additional time to react.
Volvo also participates in Europe’s Data for Road Safety ecosystem, which is intended to allow safety information to be exchanged beyond vehicles from a single manufacturer and can incorporate information from traffic management centres.
For professional drivers covering high mileages, including taxi, private hire, chauffeur and airport-transfer work, advance warnings of vulnerable road users, animals or collisions could be particularly useful on unfamiliar roads or during poor visibility.
The technology nevertheless remains an assistance feature rather than an autonomous safety guarantee, and its effectiveness depends on connectivity, available data and compatible vehicles being present in the area.
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Sources
Volvo Cars UK – Connected Safety
Autocar – New Volvos Now Able to Warn Other Cars of Animals and Cyclists in Road
Business Motoring – Volvo EX60, EX90 and ES90 Gain Connected Safety Features
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