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By Colin Windell

The progress of connectivity keeps growing at an astounding pace and Volvo is now pioneering real-time data sharing between trucks and cars in Sweden and Norway.

The collaboration between Volvo Cars and Volvo Trucks will connect a cloud-based system that allows vehicles to communicate with each other and alert drivers of nearby hazards, according to the automaker.

Starting soon, live data will be shared between selected Volvo trucks sold in Sweden and Norway with the company’s own hazard-alert systems and Volvo cars equipped with Volvo Cars’ Hazard Light Alert system.

As soon as any equipped Volvo switches on its hazard lights, an alert is sent to all nearby Volvo cars connected to the cloud service, warning drivers to help avoid potential accidents, Volvo stated in a release.

This company said this feature is useful on blind corners and over the crest of hills in the road.

Hazard Light Alert has been available in Sweden and Norway since 2016, where it is standard on all 90 and 60 series cars as well as the XC40. Adding selected models of Volvo Trucks’ fleet to the cloud will cover more area, identify more potential hazards and boost overall traffic safety. Both Volvo brands represent a considerable portion of new vehicle registrations in the region.

By anonymising, validating and aggregating the data that is collected and shared, the initiative will comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that is rolled out across the EU this year, Volvo has said.