Many trucking collisions in Hollywood and other communities across Florida and across the country are caused by limited field of vision. Truckers driving commercial trucks have to contend with multiple blind spots behind and along the sides of their vehicles, for instance. Newer truck designs include higher cabs and larger windshields that can improve the field of vision in front of the truck but the problem with large no-zones has remained.
Volvo trucks, however, has announced a new technology that can help address this issue. The new technology involves a 360 degree scan of the area around a truck. Once the scan is complete, a computer system can analyze the information gathered and instantly create suggest options to help drivers avoid collisions. If the driver does not respond in time, the braking and steering systems can respond automatically to prevent a crash.
The 360 degree Volvo systems centers around a data platform. Radars, cameras, and other sensors along the sides, front, and back of the truck gather information to send to the system. Data is gathered automatically every 25 milliseconds so that information is very constant. The system then analyzes the data and sends continuously updated suggestions and alerts to the driver. It is expected that the new technology may be in trucks in five years or more.
Volvo has stated that their aim with the project is to develop trucks that have a zero percent accident rate. In order to meet this standard, the company has stated that they need to do years of testing to find and resolve any potential flaws in the system.
The technology is especially important for trucks because trucks respond more slowly than many vehicles on the road. Many trucking collisions in Hollywood and other communities, for example, are stopping distance crashes – accidents that happen because a driver is not able to stop in time. Volvo claims that its new technology can predict traffic situations up to five seconds ahead and can potentially act more quickly than a human driver, which means that there is a better chance of avoiding accidents with the technology since the system can act more quickly and can predict problems before they occur.
The Volvo technology is the latest in a line of systems designed by car makers and truck manufacturers interested in developing driverless or autonomous cars. The Google driverless passenger car has already driven in parts of the United States with hundreds of thousands of kilometers with no accidents. In Europe, trucks with autonomous technology are already on the roads, and some experts predict that in the future driverless vehicles will become the norm.
In the meantime, drivers still have to contend with blind spots and other dangers on the roads. If you have been injured in a trucking collision anywhere in South Florida, you will want answers. To explore answers, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation. Attorneys at our law firm have already secured more than $100 million on behalf of thousands of clients. Contact us today for a free accident consultation to discuss your potential case.