Volvo’s cars will warn one another about hazards in the road
Volvo is rolling out new connected safety alerts to warn drivers of hazards such as animals or vulnerable road users ahead, using vehicle-to-vehicle data sharing rather than crowdsourced systems like those in Google Maps or Waze. When one Volvo detects a risk via its sensors and cameras, it logs the location and relays it via Volvo's servers to other Volvo vehicles travelling the same route, though the feature relies on cloud connectivity and up-to-date map data.
The alerts cover four hazard types: large animals, vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists, roadworks, and accidents, and will be added to the Volvo EX90, ES90 and EX60 electric vehicles. Volvo says it already has one million vehicles equipped with connected safety capabilities and shares this data with traffic management centres and other car manufacturers, not just its own fleet. The Swedish firm has used similar cloud-based technology since 2016, developed with Ericsson, to flag slippery roads and hazard-light warnings. Separately, Volvo confirmed the EX90 will gain Spatial Audio support for Apple CarPlay users.
- Volvo EVs to warn each other about animals, cyclists, roadworks and accidents
- Feature uses vehicle-to-vehicle cloud data, not crowdsourced maps
- Rolling out to EX90, ES90 and EX60; EX90 also gets CarPlay Spatial Audio
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Volvo is a Swedish carmaker that has long promoted safety features in its vehicles. Its connected safety system lets cars share information through the internet, building on technology it has used since 2016 to flag slippery roads and vehicles with their hazard lights on.
The new alerts are designed to give drivers advance notice of animals, people walking or cycling, roadworks and accidents. A Volvo car detects a possible hazard with its cameras and sensors, then sends its location through Volvo’s servers to other connected cars on the same route.
The feature is planned for Volvo’s EX90, ES90 and EX60 electric cars, and depends on a cloud connection and current map data. Volvo says it also shares connected safety information with traffic centres and other carmakers, so the system sits within a wider effort to pass road hazard information between vehicles.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Safety advocates emphasise that real-time hazard detection shared across vehicles saves lives by providing drivers with immediate, reliable warnings about dangers ahead. Unlike crowdsourced systems dependent on voluntary user reports, this uses actual sensor data from multiple vehicles to create a trustworthy safety net. The fact that Volvo shares this data with traffic management centres and other manufacturers demonstrates commitment to benefits extending beyond their own fleet, potentially reducing accidents and congestion for everyone.
The case against
Privacy and security advocates raise legitimate concerns about continuous tracking of vehicle locations and movements through cloud servers, creating detailed records of driving patterns. Even with good intentions, this infrastructure creates risks of data breaches, unauthorised access, or misuse by authorities. Relying on cloud connectivity for safety-critical features also introduces vulnerabilities—connectivity failures could leave drivers without essential warnings at crucial moments.