New Volvo technology uses real-time driving insights to help drivers develop safer habits, and may eventually help lower insurance costs.
At Portland Volvo Cars in Scarborough, Maine, we know that Volvo Cars has built its reputation around one fundamental principle: safety. Now, Volvo is taking another step forward with Safety Coach, a new technology designed to help drivers become safer behind the wheel.
Safety Coach is an optional app that provides drivers with real-time insights and personalized tips based on how they drive in everyday traffic. Available through the vehicle's Google-based infotainment system and the Volvo Cars mobile app, the technology looks at driving behaviors such as braking, acceleration, cornering, and speed. The goal is simple: help drivers recognize potentially risky habits and make small changes that can lead to safer driving.
Personalized Safety Insights From Volvo
Safety Coach draws on Volvo Cars' decades of real-world safety research and data. Each participating driver receives a dynamic, personalized Safety Coach score, giving them an easy way to understand their driving behavior and work toward becoming a safer, more predictable driver. According to Volvo Cars driver behavior expert Mikael Ljung Aust, predictability is an important part of preventing collisions.
Many accidents involve some element of surprise. Maintaining appropriate speeds and avoiding abrupt maneuvers can make a vehicle's movements easier for other drivers to anticipate, potentially reducing the risk of a collision. For Volvo, technology such as Safety Coach is another tool for turning decades of safety research into practical, everyday driving habits.
Safety Coach and Potential Insurance Savings
Safety Coach is launching first in Sweden and Norway, where Volvo drivers will have the opportunity to participate in a usage-based insurance program through Volvia, by choosing to share their driving data. That means safer driving could potentially lead to additional insurance benefits. Volvo Cars plans to expand Safety Coach to the United States and other European markets, with insurance-related offers also planned as part of the rollout. For Volvo drivers in Maine and throughout the United States, this could eventually provide another way that safer driving habits may be recognized by participating insurance providers.
Developed With Cambridge Mobile Telematics
Volvo Cars developed Safety Coach in collaboration with Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), a company specializing in telematics and artificial intelligence for safer mobility. CMT's technology is used to generate each driver's personalized Safety Coach score. According to CMT Co-Founder and CEO William V. Powers, participation in safe-driving programs can help reduce behaviors such as speeding and hard braking over time. The idea behind Safety Coach is to use those insights to help drivers develop better habits, and potentially receive personalized insurance benefits as a result.
Privacy and Driver Choice
Privacy and transparency are central to the Safety Coach experience. Drivers choose whether to participate in Safety Coach, and they can separately choose whether to share their driving data with affiliated insurance companies in exchange for potential usage-based insurance benefits. In other words, drivers remain in control of whether they participate and whether their driving data is shared for insurance purposes.
When Will Volvo Safety Coach Be Available in the U.S.?
Safety Coach is initially being introduced in Sweden and Norway for eligible Volvo vehicles equipped with Google's Android-based infotainment system. Volvo Cars has announced plans to bring the technology to the United States and additional European markets following the initial rollout. Availability and timing may vary by vehicle, model year, and market. For Volvo owners in Scarborough, Portland, South Portland, Falmouth, and communities throughout Southern Maine, Portland Volvo Cars will continue to follow Volvo's latest technology and safety developments as new features become available in the U.S.
Eligible Volvo Models
The initial rollout includes the following models with Google's Android-based infotainment system from model year 2020 and newer:
- Volvo XC40
- Volvo EX40
- Volvo C40 Recharge
- Volvo S60
- Volvo V60
- Volvo XC60
- Volvo EX60
- Volvo XC90
- Volvo V90
- Volvo EX90
Availability varies by model and market.
Volvo Safety Continues to Evolve
From advanced driver assistance technology to decades of real-world crash research, Volvo Cars continues to look for new ways to make driving safer. Safety Coach represents a shift toward not only helping protect drivers when something goes wrong, but also helping drivers understand their own behavior and develop safer habits before a dangerous situation occurs. If you're considering a new or pre-owned Volvo in Scarborough, ME, visit Portland Volvo Cars to learn more about the latest Volvo safety technology, Google built-in features, and available driver assistance systems.
Portland Volvo Cars proudly serves Volvo drivers throughout the greater Portland area, including Scarborough, South Portland, Portland, Saco, Biddeford, Falmouth, Gorham, Freeport, Brunswick, and Southern Maine.