Volvo Cars Now Provide Real-Time 'Accident Ahead' Alerts In Europe

Volvo Cars has introduced a new safety feature called "Accident Ahead Alert." The system notifies drivers of accidents in real time based on data the vehicle receives from a traffic management centre. The "Accident Ahead Alert" feature has been made available in Denmark across all of Volvo 90, 60, and 40 series models from the 2016 model year onward. The company however plans to offer the service in more markets in Europe going forward.

The feature builds upon Volvo's existing connected safety technology introduced in 2016, which allows Volvo cars to communicate with each other regarding slippery road conditions and road hazards. Accident Ahead Alert expands this by incorporating data from traffic authorities and other compatible vehicles.

The car flashes a warning on the instrument cluster.

The primary objective of this technology is to warn drivers of a traffic accident along their chosen route to proactively avoid collisions and navigate through traffic congestion caused by accidents. The system operates by instantly alerting the driver of a traffic accident occurring up to a few hundred metres ahead, utilising location data sourced from national road authorities and compatible Volvo cars.

When activated, the feature alerts the driver of any accident they may be approaching using the hazard light alert on the dashboard and, if available, the head-up display. The company assures users that only essential information will be shared, and all data will be anonymized to uphold user privacy.

Stine Bendsen, head of the Danish Traffic Management Centre at the Danish Road Directorate said, “We’re happy that Volvo Cars as the first car maker has started using our new real-time traffic event data feed. 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 Cars plans to expand its connected safety network by integrating additional traffic data from partners in the European Data for Road Safety ecosystem. This includes collaboration with national traffic management centres in various countries and other automotive brands.

Written by: RONIT AGARWAL