Volvo's Cars Will Warn Each Other About Road Hazards

Volvo is equipping three of its electric car models with advanced hazard alerts designed to warn drivers about potential dangers on the road, such as animals or vulnerable road users. These new connected safety features rely on a system where Volvo vehicles communicate directly with each other, differentiating them from crowd-sourced alert systems found in popular navigation applications like Google Maps and Waze.

The system operates by leveraging connected vehicle data collected from Volvo's fleet across Europe, the United States, and Canada. The cars' integrated sensors and cameras are programmed to detect specific road risks. When a Volvo vehicle identifies a hazard, it automatically records its location and transmits this information to Volvo's servers. Subsequently, alerts are dispatched to all other Volvo vehicles traveling on the same route. While this feature requires the car to be connected to the cloud and for the road to be present in the map database, newer Volvo electric vehicles possess ample processing power to manage these real-time data requests.

Volvo plans to implement alerts for four primary hazard categories: large animals, vulnerable road users (including pedestrians and cyclists), roadwork, and accidents. These new alerts will be available on the Volvo EX90, ES90, and EX60 models. Volvo currently has one million vehicles on the road equipped with connected safety alert capabilities. The company also shares its alert data with traffic management centers and other automotive brands, extending the benefits beyond just Volvo vehicles.

Volvo has been utilizing connected vehicle technology for hazard warnings since 2016. The Swedish manufacturer's cloud-based system, developed in collaboration with Ericsson, warns drivers of slippery road conditions ahead by analyzing data from steering, braking, and acceleration sensors. Additionally, it alerts nearby vehicles when another car activates its hazard lights, signaling a potentially dangerous or unexpected situation on the road.

Furthermore, Volvo has announced that the EX90 will include Spatial Audio support for Apple CarPlay users. This feature will provide drivers with an immersive, multi-dimensional sound experience, distributing music and vocals throughout the cabin.