Volvo Buses

South Africa

 

Safety first

Safety has been our guiding star since 1927 when Volvo first was founded. Today, more than 90 years later, we’re still leading the way with a range of pioneering safety innovations that are making their way throughout the vehicle industry. And our vision is clear: zero accidents with Volvo Group products.

A responsibility in society

For us, safety is so much more than just developing innovative safety solutions in our products. We also have a responsibility in society and an important role to play when it comes to making road traffic safer. And we know we can make a difference. Volvo Group is one of the world’s largest companies in terms of safety research for commercial vehicles. Further, we push the limits for safety standards, by setting up even higher safety requirements than what the market demands. 

Active safety systems

Volvo offers an array of intelligent features that help the driver to drive more safely and avoid incidents and protecting from injuries and damage. Smart sensors and advanced software detect events that could lead to dangerous situations, and warn the driver.

More about active safety

Volvo Safety built in

Safety is a cornerstone already in the initial phases of our product development. Drivability, road handling and predictable behaviour build the foundation for Volvo’s holistic safety architecture, aiming at our vision of zero accidents.

Integrated driver information

With Volvo’s active safety sytems, all information to the driver is integrated in the instrument cluster, right in front of the driver. The absence of multiple external display units reduces distractions and helps the driver to stay focused.

Active safety features

  •  Collision Warning with Emergency Brake
  •  Adaptive Cruise Control
  •  Intelligent Speed Assist
  •  Side Collision Avoidance Support
  •  Front Short Range Assist
  •  Lane Change Support
  •  Lane Keeping Support
  •  Driver Alert Support
  • Tire Pressure Monitoring System

Safer driving

Safety starts with the driver. At Volvo we focus on features, systems and services to make driving safer. In addition to on-board safety features, we also offer services like Zone Management, which is an advanced geofencing application, and Volvo I-Coaching, providing real time feedback to the driver on his or her performance.

Volvo Dynamic Steering

A technology that improves steering responsiveness and precision, thus reducing the strain on the driver’s shoulders, neck and arms. This can mean fewer sick days and improved driver retention.

I-Coaching

A system that helps you drive more safely and fuel-efficiently. It gives instant feedback on driving parameters such as overrevving, harsh acceleration, excessive idling and over-speed.

Safety Zones

With active low-speed zones, it is possible to ensure that the buses always drive within the speed limits in sensitive areas like schools, large bus stops and city centers. This has been proven to reduce risks and accidents.

Driver Alert Support

The system detects patterns in steering wheel movements, and if there is a tendency to meander within the lane. If there are indications of insufficient driver focus, a warning is given by an illuminated symbol on the dashboard display.

Safety is a cornerstone in our legacy and in our strategy for the future, taking us steadily closer to our zero accident vision.

Safer city traffic

In city traffic, the dangers are mainly related to the heavy traffic. Several road user categories share the same road space – pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooters, cars, trucks and buses. Especially at bus stops and terminals, the bus driver faces highly complex situations. This is why Volvo continuously develops features and services for driver assistance and the protection of other road users.

AVAS – Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System

Electric buses are very silent – and that’s a good thing in general. But in some situations, such as at a bus stop, you may not hear the bus approaching. The solution is AVAS – Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System – which is a synthetic sound designed to notify the immediate surrounding.

Active protection of vulnerable road users

Volvo’s active safety features include several assisting systems that help the driver operate the vehicle safely. Smart sensors detect the presence and movements of road users outside the bus, and alert the driver to impending risks. Information and warnings are presented directly in the instrument cluster, in the middle of the driver’s field of vision.

Outstanding protection systems

We are well aware of the fact that our buses cannot prevent all accidents by themselves, regardless of how safe they may be. Accidents can happen nevertheless, due to human error and the environment in which our buses are used. In the event of an accident our task is to minimise the consequences for drivers, passengers and other road users. Here are three protections systems that significantly reduce the risk of serious injuries in collisions with passenger cars. 

Front Impact Protection

In the event of a front-end collision, the reinforced front increases the protection for the driver and guide.

Knee Impact Protection

If the driver isn’t wearing a seatbelt or the front is heavily crushed inward, this feature absorbs the impact energy and protects the driver’s knees and thigh bones. 

Front Underrun Protection

The FUPS comprises a steel beam fitted behind the bus’s front bumper. It prevents an oncoming car from being wedged under the bus in a frontal collision.

Electric safety in the workshop and in the depot

Electrified public transport also means new requirements in maintenance and service. The presence of high-voltage components calls for new routines and precautions. Every Volvo electric bus is designed for safe service and maintenance work. Our electric drivelines are equipped with active systems to protect from hazardous exposure to high-voltage components. All parts are clearly marked, working procedures are fully documented, and we provide specialized training and information for workshop technicians.  

Cyber security

Volvo Group conducts extensive research on digital protective features for vehicles. We design our services to only collect the data we need for each particular case, and to do this in a way that minimizes exposure and risks. Data is compiled into usable information off-board – outside the vehicle – by specialized algorithms.

Multi-layered on-board security 

The data flow in a Volvo bus is protected on multiple levels in the architecture. Even with a direct physical access to the vehicle it is extremely difficult for a third party to gain control over the vehicle systems that contain data. 

Security Awareness Program

A majority of cyber security incidents involve human factors. For this reason, Volvo frequently gives courses on security awareness for employees, in addition to protective technical solutions.

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