Several automakers are working on new safety technology that will connect drivers to pedestrians and cyclists, with the ultimate goal of alleviating collisions. Volvo has already revealed technology that helps a car automatically brake for pedestrians and cyclists, but it’s newest technology takes it a step further by establishing 2-way communication between drivers and cyclists.
Volvo has formed a unique partnership with protective gravity sports gear manufacturers POC and Ericsson, who have worked together to present an innovative safety technology connecting drivers and cyclists for the first time ever at the 2015 International CES Show in Las Vegas. The technology combines a connected car and a helmet prototype that will establish 2-way communication offering proximity alerts to Volvo drivers and cyclists and thereby avoid accidents.
Related: Volvo Unveils New Safety System that Automatically Brakes for Cyclists and Pedestrians
Volvo’s new City Safety system already warns drivers of possible collisions with cyclists, but the new technology will also warn the cyclist. Using a smartphone app, the cyclist’s position can be shared through the Volvo cloud to the car, and vice versa. If an imminent collision is calculated, both road users will be warned. The Volvo driver will be alerted to a cyclist nearby through a head-up display alert, while the cyclist will be warned via a helmet-mounted alert light.
“The partnership between Volvo Cars, POC and Ericsson is an important milestone in investigating the next steps towards Volvo Cars’ vision to build cars that will not crash. But now, by exploring cloud-based safety systems, we are getting ever closer to eliminating the remaining blind spots between cars and cyclists and by that avoid collisions,” stated Klas Bendrik, VP and Group CIO at Volvo Cars.
+ Volvo
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