Blind spot radar technology used in video with Amy Gillett Foundation
Volvo Group Australia says it has teamed up with the cycling community to reduce accidents through cutting-edge driver radar technology.
Volvo worked closely with the Amy Gillett Foundation on a truck-cyclist road sharing video, which features a Toll Group semi-trailer.
Toll has started using the Volvo “Lane Changing Support” radar system in some of its trucks.
Simon Gillett has no doubt the technology will save lives. His wife the late Amy Gillett was struck and killed by a motorist while cycling with her national team mates in Germany in 2005.
Simon Gillett is a patron of the Amy Gillett Foundation, set up in 2006 to reduce the incidence of death and injury to bike riders.
“Since its inception the Amy Gillett Foundation has been a catalyst for change, and any technology that creates a safer environment for cyclists and trucks to interact on the road is fantastic,” he says.
“To have a global trucking company lead the way in improving safety for bike riders on our roads really sets the benchmark for the other road users to follow.”
The Lane Changing Support system activates when the truck driver turns on the indicator to change lane. The system’s radar unit checks whether it is clear and if an object is found in its view, it will sound an audible alarm and display a flashing light.
“The radar obviously picks up cars and motorbikes but it is so highly sensitive that it also picks up bicycles – even carbon fibre bikes – which is great news for the increasing number of cyclists using our roads,” Volvo Trucks vice president in Australia Mitch Peden says.
“Our own research tells us that up to 90 per cent of road accidents are driver-related which means we need technologies that focus on the human factor if we are to reduce injuries and fatalities.’’