Volvo Cars is joining forces with other car makers, service providers and national governments in a groundbreaking, pan-European pilot project to share traffic safety data generated by cars and infrastructure, in the interest of safer roads for all.
The pilot project, run under the umbrella of a public-private partnership called the European Data Task Force, brings together some of Europe’s leading vehicle makers, service providers as well as a number of EU member states.
The partners will share anonymised safety data or safety services based on that data with the pilot via a cloud-based platform. Volvo Cars will contribute to the pilot project by providing real-time data from its industry-first connected safety technologies, Hazard Light Alert and Slippery Road Alert.
For example, participating car makers can use the data to warn drivers of potential dangers on the road ahead, while service providers can deliver theis data via their live traffic services and to traffic services operated by national road authorities.
The pilot project, across borders and brands on a reciprocal basis, has the overarching aim of improving traffic safety for all. The European Data Task Force was founded in 2017 for exactly this purpose: to make driving safer for all road users by prioritising societal over monetary gain.
Volvo Cars has called for open and reciprocal sharing of anonymised safety data for some years now. In 2017, its president and CEO Håkan Samuelsson told a conference at the European Commission in Brussels that sharing data between governments and car makers is the right thing to do.
“We think this type of anonymised data sharing should be done for free, for the greater good and to the wider benefit of society. It saves lives, time and taxpayer money”, Mr. Samuelsson said at the time. “I call on other car makers and governments to work with us on realising this type of data sharing as widely as possible.”
Volvo Cars’ own alert systems allow Volvo cars to communicate with each other and warn drivers of nearby slippery road conditions and hazards via a cloud-based network. Both features were first introduced in 2016 and are available on all new Volvo models across Europe.
Sharing traffic data in real time can provide a strong boost to overall traffic safety and becomes more influential the more cars are connected. Since last year, Volvo Cars and Volvo Trucks have shared data to alert drivers of nearby hazards in Sweden and Norway.
“The more vehicles we have sharing safety data in real time, the safer our roads become,” said Malin Ekholm, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “That is why the European Data Task Force is such an important initiative. We hope to bring on board even more partners who share our commitment to safety.”
Note to editors:
The European Data Task Force includes the following organisations:
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Volvo Car Group in 2018
For the 2018 financial year, Volvo Car Group recorded an operating profit of 14,185 MSEK (14,061 MSEK in 2017). Revenue over the period amounted to 252,653 MSEK (208,646 MSEK). For the full year 2018, global sales reached a record 642,253 (571,577) cars, an increase of 12.4 per cent versus 2017. The results underline the comprehensive transformation of Volvo Cars’ finances and operations in recent years, positioning the company for its next growth phase.
About Volvo Car Group
Volvo has been in operation since 1927. Today, Volvo Cars is one of the most well-known and respected car brands in the world with sales of 642,253 cars in 2018 in about 100 countries. Volvo Cars has been under the ownership of the Zhejiang Geely Holding (Geely Holding) of China since 2010. It formed part of the Swedish Volvo Group until 1999, when the company was bought by Ford Motor Company of the US. In 2010, Volvo Cars was acquired by Geely Holding.
In 2018, Volvo Cars employed on average approximately 43,000 (39,500) full-time employees. Volvo Cars head office, product development, marketing and administration functions are mainly located in Gothenburg, Sweden. Volvo Cars head office for China is located in Shanghai. The company’s main car production plants are located in Gothenburg (Sweden), Ghent (Belgium), South Carolina (US), Chengdu and Daqing (China), while engines are manufactured in Skövde (Sweden) and Zhangjiakou (China) and body components in Olofström (Sweden).
