Next truck technology to offer all-around visibility 08 October 2014

Volvo Trucks' and Volvo Cars' latest technology enables vehicles to perform 360 degree scans of their surroundings to eliminate accidents caused by the limited field of vision.

The technology – currently under test and due for introduction in five to 10 years time – is designed to evaluate data from multiple sensors, including cameras and radar systems, simultaneously and to suggest evasive actions.

Simply called 'Non-Hit Car and Truck', the research project aims to avoid accidents involving pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles by rapidly activating evasive steering or braking if drivers don't respond in time.

"Our vision for traffic safety is to have no accidents involving Volvo trucks," states Carl Johan Almqvist, Volvo Trucks' traffic and product safety director.

He sees the new technology acting as an additional virtual co-driver, with a 'data platform' scanning all sensors and instantaneously 'fusing' the results – resulting in a full 360-degree scan every 25 milliseconds.

By combining several sensor types, the technology can identify different road user types as well as their distances and directions, he explains.

"The technology can predict traffic scenarios up to five seconds ahead, depending on the speed of the objects, and map out the best plan of action," adds Mansour Keshavarz, systems engineer at Volvo Trucks.

"In many ways the technology serves as a co-driver – but one that can see all around the vehicle. It can also alert the driver to things that are happening, with an alarm signal or braking, for example, so that they can react to avoid a collision."

However, it's not all plain sailing, he concedes, and R&D is going to take some time.

"Trucks are a different type of vehicle and do not act the same way as cars in traffic. For example, every truck is loaded differently and their size prevents them from carrying out severe avoidance manoeuvres, such as swerving quickly to avoid a collision," says Keshavarz.

"We have the main components in place, but we need to do a lot more testing to make sure that the system is fault-free," comments Almqvist.

"If we manage to solve these challenges, a future without truck accidents is within reach."

Author
Brian Tinham

Related Companies
Volvo Group UK Ltd

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