World First Technology Connects Cycle Helmets With Cars

PR59017

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Dec. 19, 2014/PRN=KYODO JBN/ --

     Volvo Cars and POC to Demonstrate Life-Saving Wearable

        Cycling Tech Concept at International CES 2015

- With Photo  

- Accident data from Europe reveals about: 50 per cent of all cyclists killed

   in traffic have collided with a car  

- Nearly 50,000 cyclist fatalities and injuries in the US every year (NHTSA,

   Nov 2013)  

- Unique partnership between Volvo Cars, POC and Ericsson aims to end crashes

   between cars and bikes   

   In a ground-breaking collaboration, Volvo Cars, protective gravity sports

gear manufacturer POC and Ericsson will present an innovative safety technology

connecting drivers and cyclists for the first time ever at International CES in

Las Vegas (6-9 January 2015).

   To view the Multimedia News Release, please click:

http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7404151-volvo-life-saving-cycling-tech/

     (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140522/683630 )

     (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141219/720443 )

   The technology consists of a connected car and helmet prototype that will

establish 2-way communication offering proximity alerts to Volvo car drivers

and cyclists and thereby avoid accidents. No car manufacturer has previously

put a stake in the ground to help address the problem by using Connected Safety

technology - until now.

   Using a popular smartphone app for bicyclists, like Strava, the cyclist's

position can be shared through the Volvo Cars cloud to the car, and vice versa.

If an imminent collision is calculated, both road users will be warned - and

enabled to take the necessary action to avoid a potential accident. The Volvo

driver will be alerted to a cyclist nearby through a head-up display alert -

even if he happens to be in a blind spot, e.g. behind a bend or another vehicle

or hardly visible during night time. The cyclist will be warned via a

helmet-mounted alert light.

   The innovative concept is a result of an all-Swedish partnership between

Volvo Cars, POC, the leading manufacturer of protective gear for gravity sports

athletes and cyclists and Ericsson, the world leader in communications

technology and services. The innovative, cloud-based safety concept has

exciting development opportunities and will ultimately help save lives across

the whole spectrum of "unprotected" road users.

   Klas Bendrik, VP and Group CIO at Volvo Cars commented: "The partnership

between Volvo Cars, POC and Ericsson is an important milestone in investigating

the next steps towards Volvo Car's vision to build cars that will not crash.

Today our City Safety system, a standard in the all-new XC90, can detect, warn

and auto-brake to avoid collisions with cyclists. By exploring cloud-based

safety systems, we are now getting ever closer to eliminating the remaining

blind spots between cars and cyclists and by that avoid collisions."

   Stefan Ytterborn, CEO and Founder of POC added: "The partnership with Volvo

Cars aligns very well with our mission to do the best we can to possibly save

lives and to reduce the consequences of accidents for gravity sports athletes

and cyclists."

   Per Borgklint, SVP and Head of Business Unit Support Solutions at Ericsson

said: "Our work with Volvo Cars to explore the connected society, protecting

the millions of cyclists on the road is just the latest example of innovation

that can change the world."

   Note to Editors:

   A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire.

It can be downloaded from: http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at:

http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iz8VE1L2S-4

   CONTACT: Stefan Elfstrom,

            Media Relations Manager,

            Corporate Communications,

            Volvo Car Corporation,

            Dept. 50250/PVH50,

            GOteborg, Sweden,

            Telephone +46-31-3251878

    SOURCE: Volvo Car Corporation