Volvo to notch up their safety efforts and will install in-car cameras to check intoxication and distraction in drivers

Taking a step further towards AI intervention in road safety, Volvo just announced utilising new age technology, cameras to check on road accidents due to human behaviour; intoxication and distraction.

This announcement comes in tandem with what Volvo’s vision has been of zero traffic fatalities. To do so, Volvo cars will install in-car camera equipment and other motion sensors that monitor the driver and allow the car to intervene using AI and machine learning if the driver is intoxicated or distracted. The intervention would involve limiting the car’s speed, alerting a Volvo centre on an emergency number and also actively slowing down and safely parking the car.

Highlighting the significance of this announcement is Mr Henrik Green, Senior Vice President, Research & Development at Volvo Cars “When it comes to safety, our aim is to avoid accidents altogether rather than limit the impact when an accident is imminent and unavoidable,”

“In this case, cameras will monitor for behaviour that may lead to serious injury or death.” He added However, the production of such technology is still quite in the future with the company said to launch the cameras with the new- gen SPA2 platform in 2020.

India remains a key market for Volvo and their portfolio includes the likes of XC40, XC60, XC90, S60, V40, V90, V60.