Volvo introduces innovative technology aimed at enhancing road safety by alerting drivers of accidents or incidents ahead. The new feature, known as ‘Accident Ahead Alert,’ utilizes real-time data from traffic management centers to notify drivers in select regions of Europe about various types of incidents occurring further down the road.
Operating as a cloud-based connected-car system, Accident Ahead Alert functions similarly to Car-to-X technology, which facilitates data sharing among vehicles and the road network.
Volvo claims that the alerts can reach vehicles hundreds of meters ahead of the incident, providing drivers with ample time to navigate away from congested areas and potentially hazardous situations.
The alerts encompass a range of safety-related messages, including information about accident zones, debris, animals on the road, temporary road conditions like slippery surfaces and reduced visibility, as well as road blockages.
These messages are sourced from national road authorities and are supplemented by data from other connected vehicles in the vicinity.
While similar crash warning features exist in navigation apps like Waze, Volvo emphasizes the importance of collaboration among road authorities and automakers to enhance road safety.
The company encourages more road authorities to share anonymous traffic accident data and invites other car manufacturers to adopt similar technologies.
Accident Ahead Alert is compatible with select Volvo vehicles equipped with cloud-based connected car technology, which was introduced in newer generations of the 90, 60, and 40-series vehicles in 2016.
There is no additional cost to activate the feature, and Volvo plans to expand its availability across Europe following its introduction in Denmark.
Volvo’s collaboration with the Danish Road Directorate and participation in the Data for Road Safety (DFRS) ecosystem further underscores its commitment to improving road safety.
DFRS, established in 2017, facilitates the exchange of live vehicle, crowd, and infrastructure data to enhance road safety across Europe. Volvo joins other leading automakers in contributing to this initiative, including BMW, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen.