Volvo System Is Capable of Avoiding Collisions With Large Animals

Volvo has developed a new object detection system that can stop a vehicle from colliding with a large animal #automagic

Large game is a big problem in Sweden, where guardrails are not always effective and mooses are frequently on the loose. So Volvo has added a new capability to its range of cars: large animal avoidance with the help of a radar and camera (for identifying).

According to the animal’s size, location and movement, the system will slow down the car or hit the breaks. The idea is to do the latter as rarely as possible, in order to avoid rear end collisions or lose control of the car.

Engineers studied the movement of real animals to teach the computer what to expect. The camera is able to identify the animal by comparing it with a database of shapes and tell the animal’s intentions, whether it is going to wait for the car to pass or go right in front of it.

The system is also calibrated to a region’s fauna. In Sweden, it will look mostly for moose and elk, while in the US, it will stay clear of deer.

The 2017 S90 sedan and XC90 SUV already have this detection system and soon, the V90 Cross Country wagon will benefit from it, too.