- Volvo EVs are getting new safety features via a software update.
- The EX60, EX90, and ES90 in the U.S. and Canada will get four new safety alerts based on data collected from other vehicles on the road.
- One could help you avoid hitting a deer or other animal.
The Volvo EX60 can see into the future. Well, sort of. It can see into your future. In 2016, the Swedish automaker launched its connected safety technology, which uses data collected about road hazards from other vehicles to alert you about upcoming dangers. Now, it’s expanding on that tech with new features that can let you know about a deer in the road, around a blind corner, before you even get there.
With the latest software update, Volvo EX60, EX90, and ES90 EVs in the U.S. and Canada will gain four new features to help warn drivers of impending danger. Large Animal Alert is pretty self-explanatory, as it warns drivers of big ol’ animals in the road, like deer or moose. I imagine the latter is extra helpful in Volvo’s home country. There’s also Vulnerable Road User Alert, which tells you about humans who might be up ahead, like cyclists or pedestrians, on or near highways. Roadwork Alert and Accident Ahead Alert are again alert you of upcoming road work or accidents.
Photo by: Volvo
None of these replace the existing connected safety features, like Slippery Road Alert and Hazard Light Alert. They’re all just added to Volvo’s safety arsenal.
In Europe, this system works by using data collected from the European Union’s “Data for Road Safety” ecosystem. The system is a cooperation between OEMs and the EU, and it pulls safety and road data from all vehicle types, so that all vehicles can share it. And Volvo uses that data to alert its drivers about upcoming dangers, while also sharing its own data with others.
“Every time a Volvo car shares safety intelligence, it helps other drivers prepare earlier to avoid accidents and feel safer,” said Head of Volvo Cars Safety Centre Åsa Haglund in a recent press release.
So next time you’re driving around in a Volvo, know that even around blind corners, the car is looking out for you. So while it isn’t a time traveler, it can know what’s coming next even before you do. Volvo says the timing of the features will depend on the car model.
