Long hours on the road demand constant attention from truck drivers. Volvo now upgrades the Driver Alert Support system to enhance its ability to detect and alert drivers who show signs of inattention or drowsiness. The aim of this more advanced system is to provide better support for drivers and contribute to increased road safety.
Credit: Volvo Trucks
Volvo's upgraded Driver Alert Support is even better at detecting and alerting a driver who shows signs of drowsiness or distraction.
The upgraded Driver Alert Support uses two cameras to detect signs of drowsiness or inattentive driving. A new eye-tracking camera, which is placed on top of the side display in the truck, detects signs of distraction and alerts the driver with a pop-up message and a warning sound. A forward-facing camera, which is part of the current Driver Alert Support, monitors driving behavior and the position of the truck in relation to the lane and the roadside. Thereby detecting the typical characteristics of a drowsy or distracted driver.
“After several hours of driving it can be difficult to stay alert and focused behind the wheel. Our upgraded Driver Alert Support is even better at detecting and alerting a driver who shows signs of drowsiness or distraction. Our goal is to support the drivers and help to protect both them and the people they share the road with,” says Anna Wrige Berling, Traffic and Product Safety Director at Volvo Trucks.
“We’re constantly developing and introducing additional safety systems. At Volvo Trucks, our long-term vision is zero accidents, and safety is at the core of everything we do.”
The upgraded Driver Alert Support already meets the EU’s updated safety legislation, the General Safety Regulation (GSR2) – including the second step that comes into effect in July 2026, which requires all trucks in the EU to be equipped with Advanced Driver Distraction Warning (ADDW) systems. Volvo’s new eye-tracking camera is active at speeds above 18 km/h.The upgraded Driver Alert Support will be standard for Volvo’s heavy-duty trucks (Volvo FH and FM) as well as medium-duty trucks (Volvo FL and FE) in the EU, and some markets outside the EU, for example Norway, Switzerland, and the UK. Additionally, it will be available to order for other markets. The new system will come into production in November 2025. Outside of the EU, Volvo will also continue to offer today’s Driver Alert Support with the forward-facing camera.
Safety is a core value for Volvo Trucks, and the company’s best-selling models, the Volvo FH and the Volvo FM, both received the top rating of five stars in Euro NCAP’s first-ever safety test of heavy trucks in 2024.
This is Volvo’s upgraded Driver Alert Support:
- The system is based on two cameras. An eye-tracking camera detects signs of distraction based on where the driver is looking. A front-facing camera is used to track lane markings and compare them to the driver’s steering movements.
- If signs of distraction or drowsiness are detected, the driver is alerted with a pop-up message and a warning sound.
- If the inattentive driving continues, a new pop-up message appears together with an escalated acoustic warning.
- The system is switched on automatically when the ignition is turned on.
- The Driver Alert Support system can be de-activated using a switch (GSR legal requirement).