Volvo Joins European Data Task Force That Wants To Make Our Roads Safer

Volvo, together with other major automakers, is joining a pan-European safety data sharing pilot project aimed at making the roads safer.

The project is run under a public-private partnership called the European Data Task Force and features some of the Old Continent’s leading car brands, service providers and a number of EU member states, all sharing anonymized safety data and safety services via a cloud-based platform.

The European Data Task Force includes countries such as the Netherlands, Spain, Finland and Germany, service providers such as HERE Europe and TomTom Traffic, plus automakers like BMW, Ford, Mercedes and, of course, Volvo.

Volvo will contribute by providing real-time data from its industry-first Hazard Light Alert and Slippery Road Alert connected safety technologies, which can be used to alert drivers via live traffic services.

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“We think this type of anonymized data sharing should be done for free, for the greater good and to the wider benefit of society. It saves lives, time and taxpayer money,” said Volvo president and CEO Hakan Samuelsson during a conference in 2017. “I call on other car makers and governments to work with us on realizing this type of data sharing as widely as possible.”

Volvo’s own alert systems allow its vehicles to communicate with each other and warn drivers of nearby slippery road conditions and other perils through a cloud-based network. Both Hazard Light Alert and Slippery Road Alert were introduced in 2016 and are now available on all new Volvo models sold in Europe.

Since 2018, Volvo’s car and truck divisions have shared data to alert drivers of nearby hazards in both Sweden and Norway.

“The more vehicles we have sharing safety data in real time, the safer our roads become,” said Malin Ekholm, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Center. “That is why the European Data Task Force is such an important initiative. We hope to bring on board even more partners who share our commitment to safety.”