Volvo, known for its safety innovations in the automotive industry, has just introduced a new feature – even if familiar to many of you – feature: the Accident Ahead Alert. This system utilizes real-time data from a traffic management center to warn drivers about accidents occurring several hundred meters ahead of their location.
If all this rings a bell, you’re right – Google Maps also employs a similar feature on your phone. However, Volvo’s integration directly within the car provides a more seamless and potentially safer experience.
The system uses the Volvo Cars cloud that allows its vehicles to communicate with each other and is already being used to alert other drivers of treacherous road conditions and other hazards. The Swedish brand plans to integrate more traffic data shared with partners in the European Data for Road Safety ecosystem, including additional traffic management centers and cars from other brands.
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The Accident Ahead Alert will initially be available in all 40, 60, and 90 series Volvo models in Denmark built from the 2016 model year onwards. The safety system will become available on these same models in other European markets soon. Owners can activate the system by using the ‘connected safety’ option in the infotainment display to enable data sharing. If an accident is detected ahead, the hazard lights will flash and drivers will be notified on the gauge cluster and head-up display.
“We’re happy that Volvo Cars, as the first car maker to do so, has started using our new real-time traffic event data feed,” head of the Danish Traffic Management Center at the Danish Road Directorate, Stine Bendsen said. “A quick alert about an accident ahead gives the driver more time to slow down and increase the distance to the car in front. This helps to lower the risk of follow-up collisions and protect the people working to clear the road.”
Volvo wants more national road authorities to share anonymous traffic accident data and is encouraging other car companies to offer similar technologies.
“Using our groundbreaking connected safety technology, our Accident Ahead Alert can help Volvo drivers avoid unpleasant surprises, while contributing to making roads safer for all,” added the head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre Åsa Haglund. “Thanks to our collaboration with the Danish Road Directorate and other partners in the Data for Road Safety ecosystem, we can introduce this new feature and continue our leadership in safety innovations.”
