Using modern technology’s power, car manufacturers aim to make our roads safer.

Vehicles will relay information automatically to central databases.

The data will then be crunched to find better ways to improve vehicles and encourage safer driving.

Invisible help

Volkswagen Group aims to improve road safety by continuously optimising driver assistance and autonomous driving systems using real-world sensor and image data from its customers’ vehicles.

The improvements will be accessible to customers of the group’s brands through over-the-air software updates to the vehicle.

The manufacturer says that by continuously improving the driving functions, it will “enhance driving comfort and contribute positively to overall traffic safety”.

It explains that high-quality data from real traffic situations are central to this continuous optimisation of powerful assistance systems.

Helping develop safety

Customers will need to give their consent for the data to be shared and Volkswagen stressed all data protection regulations are observed.

 

For their work, developers focus on specific situations where driver assistance systems are particularly useful, it says.

Data transfer from the vehicle is triggered only in narrowly defined scenarios.

Such triggers can include using the emergency brake assistant, manual full braking, and sudden evasive manoeuvres. Continuous data transfer for this purpose does not occur, it added.

Inform to reform

Specific sensors, functions, and image data are particularly relevant for development work.

These include camera images of the vehicle’s surroundings, the detection results of the environment sensors, and the direction of travel, speed, and steering angle.

Information on weather, visibility, and lighting conditions also plays an important role, says Volkswagen

It aims to start offering the service in Germany before the end of this year, initially with models from the Volkswagen and Audi brands.

Other group brands plan to offer the service in due course.

One goal behind the initiative is to make driver assistance systems as precise and smooth as possible.

“Users should perceive them as comfortable and useful and ideally always keep them activated,” said the manufacturer.