[visordown.com] - Volvos latest safety tech lets car drivers know when youre nearby

[Ninjette Newsbot]

VOLVO has announced it will soon be presenting new technology that gives drivers a proximity alert when cyclists are nearby.

The new tech consists of a car and helmet prototype that will connect with one another to help avoid accidents.

Volvo says: ‘Using a popular smartphone app for bicyclists, like Strava, 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 – and enabled to take the necessary action to avoid a potential accident.

‘The Volvo driver will be alerted to a cyclist nearby through a head-up display alert – even if he happens to be in a blind spot, e.g. behind a bend or another vehicle or hardly visible during night time. The cyclist will be warned via a helmet-mounted alert light.’

The concept is a result of an all-Swedish partnership between Volvo, Ericsson - a multinational provider of communications technology and services - and POC, a protective gear manufacturer.

POC currently only make helmets for snow sport athletes and cyclists which limits the technology to those two disciplines, but in theory it should be entirely possible to transfer the concept to motorcycle helmets too.

A Volvo spokesperson told Visordown: ‘Right now the technology is only in its concept stage but I don’t think we would ever restrict it to just cyclists. We would look to where else it could help for other vulnerable road users.’

Volvo will be running a demonstration of the new safety technology at the International CES, a global consumer electronics and consumer technology tradeshow, in Las Vegas from 6-9 January, 2015.



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