The Volvo will communicate with each other to alert drivers to possible adverse road conditions

These two new Volvo alerts will warn drivers of possible adverse conditions in order to reduce accidents.

Volvo is preparing to launch its first connected safety technology in the European industry. This new Volvo technology will allow its vehicles to communicate with each other and warn drivers of any adverse situation on the road.

The communications between vehicles Volvo will be carried out using a cloud-based network. The first Driver Assistance Systems of Volvo were introduced on the Swedish brand’s models in 2016, specifically on the Volvo 90 Series in Sweden and Norway.

Slippery Road Alert and Hazard Light Alert

These new systems, Slippery Road Alert and Hazard Light Alert, will be available to the brand’s drivers in Europe over the next week. In addition, these aids will also come as standard on all models reaching the market during 2020.

It is important to highlight that models based on the Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) or the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) can be updated.

Malin Ekholm, director of the Volvo Safety Centre, has stated that “sharing real-time safety data between cars can help prevent accidents”. “Volvo owners directly contribute to making roads safer for other drivers, while also benefiting from alerts about possible adverse conditions”.

Goal: reduce the number of accidents

The research that Volvo has been carrying out shows that adjusting speeds in various traffic situations can radically reduce the number of accidents. Alerting drivers to possible dangers ahead will lead them to manoeuvre with greater caution.

Not to mention the Driver Assistance Systems, which will allow drivers to anticipate what may lie ahead and adapt their driving style. In addition, the Swedish brand is inviting other manufacturers to join and share anonymous data related to traffic safety, which, according to Volvo, should improve road safety in general.

It is worth noting that since last year, 2018, Volvo has already begun sharing data to alert drivers to nearby hazards on the roads of Sweden and Norway. Ekholm has added that “the more vehicles share real-time safety data, the safer our roads will be. We hope to establish further collaborations with partners who share our commitment to safety”.

How do these new alerts work?

The Hazard Light Alert works by sending a signal to all nearby Volvo vehicles that are connected to the cloud service, warning drivers of possible accidents.

This feature is particularly useful on blind bends and at the crests of hills. As for the Slippery Road Alert, the system anonymously collects information about the road surface provided by vehicles travelling ahead.