Volvo begins first ever kangaroo avoidance study

Swedish car-maker Volvo has commenced what it claims is the first Australian research study into kangaroo detection and collision avoidance.

Starting local testing earlier this week, a team of Volvo engineers arrived in the Australian Capital Territory to study and film the roadside behaviour of kangaroos in their natural setting.

The data collected will be used to develop the first-ever kangaroo detection and collision avoidance safety software.

Volvo's 'roo research is an evolution of the City Safety technology used to detect cars, cyclists and pedestrians during the day or night.

Known for their erratic behaviour and danger on the roads, kangaroos are involved in more than 20,000 collisions on Australian roads each year, costing more than $75 million in claims according to the NRMA.

Volvo, whose stated mission is to prevent anyone dying or being seriously injured in any of its current models by 2020, says the human cost of serious injuries and fatalities caused by animal collisions is incalculable.

To reduce these statistics, Volvo's unique new animal detection technology uses radar and camera systems to see roadside wildlife and automatically apply the brakes if a collision is imminent.

Senior Safety Engineer at Volvo, Martin Magnusson, said that there is a major difference in the software required for Volvo’s Pedestrian Detection technology and that required for detecting wildlife like kangaroos.

“[While Volvo’s] Pedestrian Detection technology is geared towards city driving, animal detection is designed for work at highway speeds,” he said.

“Kangaroos are very unpredictable animals and difficult to avoid, but we are confident we can refine our animal detection technology to detect them and avoid collisions on the highway.”

Magnusson also noted the different characteristics of different animals.

“In Sweden we have done research involving larger, slower moving animals like elk, reindeer and cows, which are a serious threat on our roads,” he said.

“Kangaroos are smaller than these animals and their behaviour is more erratic… That is why it’s important that we test and calibrate our technology on real kangaroos in their natural environment.”

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