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Volvo Cars and the Swedish National Road Administration in joint offensive against traffic collisions

 

Volvo Cars and the Swedish National Road Administration in joint offensive against traffic collisions

 

Volvo Car Corporation and the Swedish National Road Administration today announced their collaboration to avoid or lessen the effects of road collisions. Volvo Cars' President and CEO Fredrik Arp, and the Swedish National Road Administration's Director General Ingemar Skogö signed the declaration of intent at the beginning of the traffic safety seminar today in Tylösand.

 

The Swedish National Road Administration has worked on its zero-vision approach since 1997, while Volvo Cars presented a vision in 2007 whose aim is to design vehicles that do not crash. In the short term, this means that by the year 2020, nobody should be injured or killed in a Volvo.

 

Ensuring a safe traffic environment requires cooperation between three main sectors: manufacturers, drivers and the authorities responsible for roads and related infrastructure. Vehicles and roads are increasingly interdependent with regards to ensuring new safety systems are able to function as well as possible. Volvo Cars already has technology that can read road markings and alert the driver if he or she is heading across into the wrong lane. The Swedish National Road Administration and Volvo Cars will now work together on a variety of issues, including the search for additional ways in which vehicles and roads can communicate to reduce the number of risky traffic situations.

"Our new safety vision helps focus efforts and it also helps us take the development steps that are essential in order to maintain our leading position in the field of safety. Our cooperation with the Swedish National Road Administration benefits both parties and helps us make the right priorities," says Arp.

 

"Future technological possibilities are utilised better if there is a constructive dialogue with the car industry. In the international perspective, this cooperation is entirely unique," says Skogö.

 

Volvo Cars' own Accident Research Team has been gathering data on automobile collisions ever since the early 1970's. Today there are about 36,000 collisions that have been meticulously documented and the knowledge gained from studying these events is used in the continuous development of new safety systems.

 

"Non-stop research and development in the safety of our vehicles will be crucial for the creation of a safer traffic environment and an accident-free future. In this, we look forward to successful cooperation between public authorities and the car industry," says Jan Ivarsson, head of safety strategy at Volvo Cars.

 

Facts about the declaration of intent:

 

-  Volvo Cars and the Swedish National Road Administration will jointly identify the criteria and quality levels that allow infrastructure and vehicle functionality to interact on a level where Volvo's and society's visions regarding traffic safety are met.

-  Volvo Cars and the Swedish National Road Administration will, wherever possible and suitable, follow up the results of the improvements to vehicles and infrastructure as they continuously evolve, as part of a learning process designed to promote further improvements.

-  Volvo Cars and the Swedish National Road Administration will exchange data obtained in the interfaces that are developed, in order to further develop the system. Examples of such data are in-vehicle traffic information about road conditions, infrastructure quality and incidents.

-  Volvo Cars and the Swedish National Road Administration will jointly, and together with other relevant partners, contribute to the safe usage of the road transport system and help ensure that driving takes place within the system's framework, and the added help of technology.

 

Volvo Cars of Canada Corp. is part of the Volvo Car Corporation of Göteborg, Sweden.  The company provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to the 42 Volvo automobile retailers across the country.  The company's product range includes the stylish and sporty C30, the elegant C70 hardtop convertible, the compact S40 sedan, the S60 sport sedan, the S80 flagship sedan and the versatile V50 and V70 wagon. For customers looking for a Volvo vehicle with all-road capability, the company offers the versatile XC70 and XC90. Volvo Canada is also expanding its line-up with the introduction of the new XC60, a crossover with the award-winning City Safety system on the standard equipment list.


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For more information please contact:

Thomas Andersson
Press Secretary

Swedish Road Administration

+46 (0)243-751 38

Maria Bohlin

Press Officer

Volvo Car Corporation

+46 (0)31-59 65 25

Keywords:
Corporate News, Product News
Descriptions and facts in this press material relate to Volvo Cars's international car range. Described features might be optional. Vehicle specifications may vary from one country to another and may be altered without prior notification.