To truly achieve road traffic safety, you need to protect more than the driver.
Volvo has always worked on innovations and initiatives that increase safety for any surrounding traffic.
It’s 5 pm and rush hour in Curitiba. A Volvo bus is travelling south on one of the busiest bus routes in town, full of people on their way home from work and schools. As the bus approaches the entrance to Praça do Japão, the driver prepares to reduce its speed to 30 km/h. This idyllic public space is in one of the city’s safety zones and even if the driver forgets to reduce the speed, Volvo Buses' Safety Zones solution prevents the driver from accelerating above the set speed limit within the Safety Zone. With the help of connectivity, the solution uses geofencing technology to actively control bus speeds in high-risk zones.
This solution is a perfect example of how Volvo’s care for people extends beyond the both the driver and passengers. Roads do not just belong to vehicles: pedestrians and cyclists, for example, need to be able to be on and around them without having to fear for their safety. Big, heavy vehicles need to be able to move around them all safely, and their drivers need to be aware of where they are. After implementing safety zones, the Brazilian city of Curitiba cut accidents by 50 per cent on its busiest bus route.
Volvo Group has a Zero Accident Vision for people using Volvo products, the people working in their operations and, of course, all other road users. It works on the principle that all harm can be avoided. But since real-world factors can be sometimes difficult to predict or influence, this means that all Volvo vehicles have to be ready for anything that might happen outside them, rather than just inside or in contact with them.
In 2022, Volvo announced the launch of Side Collision Avoidance Support. This electronic system is designed to sense when, for example, pedestrians and cyclists are close to the vehicle, and keep the driver aware of their presence.
Each year 1.35 million people die in road traffic accidents. They are a leading cause of death for children and young adults. As long as people are harmed on road, off road, in the city, or at sea Volvo Group will strive towards zero accidents by offering high quality and innovative products.
