Volvo’s autonomous driving technology is struggling to identify Kangaroos on roads. That is the unusual discovery which the Swedish manufacturer has made while cars with its autonomous tech have been used on Australian roads.
Built with a Large Animal Detection system, Volvo’s autonomous versions of the S90 and XC90 are able to monitor the road for deer, elk and caribou. But detecting kangaroos is proving more difficult.
Talking to ABC news, Volvo’s Australian technical manager, David Pickett stated: “We've noticed with the kangaroo being in mid-flight when it's in the air, it actually looks like it's further away, then it lands and it looks closer.”
According to Australia’s National Roads and Motorists’ Association, more than 16,000 kangaroos are hit by cars in Australia each year, creating millions of dollars in insurance claims. In fact, it’s estimated that 80 per cent of animal collisions in the country involve kangaroos.
Although Volvo has said this problem won’t delay the distribution of driverless cars in Australia, it is clear that modifications need to be made to the driving system to ensure no kangaroo collisions occur.
