Volvo working on world-first kangaroo detection system [video]

A team of Volvo engineers is working on a world-first kangaroo detection system for Australian-spec vehicles, in an aim to reduce the risks of colliding with the country’s native animal.

The technology is currently being developed at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve near Canberra where a team of safety experts is filming and studying the roadside behaviour of Kangaroos in their natural habitat.

The data collected will be used to design a software which can detect the animal using car’s onboard camera and radar. The system will automatically apply the brakes in case of an imminent collision.

According to the National Roads and Motorists Association (NRMA), there are more than 20,000 accidents involving kangaroos on Australian roads each year, generating over $75 million in insurance claims. This makes accidents with kangaroos some of the most costly causes of traffic collisions in Australia.