Volvo Cars and Volvo Trucks have agreed to share real-time data to expand coverage of the companies’ connected safety technology, a cloud-based system that allows vehicles to communicate with each other and alert drivers of nearby hazards.

The collaboration with Volvo Trucks represents the first step towards achieving a critical mass of connected vehicles that could have a significant impact on overall traffic safety.

From 2018, live and anonymised data will be shared between selected Volvo trucks sold in Sweden and Norway with the company’s own hazard-alert systems, and Volvo cars equipped with Volvo Cars’ Hazard Light Alert system. This means that if the hazard lights on a leading vehicle are activated, other similarly-equipped vehicles following behind will be alerted so they can avoid the hazard. This is particularly useful on blind corners and over the crest of hills in the road.

“Sharing real-time safety data based on our connected safety technology can help avoid accidents,” said Malin Ekholm, Vice President of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “The more vehicles we have sharing safety data in real time, the safer our roads become. We look forward to establishing further collaborations with other partners who share our commitment to traffic safety.”

Hazard Light Alert has been available in Sweden and Norway since 2016, where it is standard on all 90 and 60 series cars as well as the XC40. Adding selected models of Volvo Trucks’ fleet to the cloud will cover more area, identify more potential hazards and boost overall traffic safety. Both Volvo brands represent a considerable portion of new vehicle registrations in the region.