Volvo is expanding the connected safety capabilities of its latest electric cars, enabling them to warn drivers about large animals, pedestrians, cyclists, roadworks and accidents that may be hidden from view. The four new alerts will be introduced through a software update for the Volvo EX60, EX90 and ES90 in Europe, the US and Canada. Volvo says the warnings could give drivers more time to slow down or take other precautions, particularly on winding roads and in poor weather. Rather than relying solely on what an individual car’s cameras and other sensors can detect directly, Volvo’s Connected Safety system uses information shared by vehicles farther along the road. Accident data can also come from traffic management centres. The update introduces a Large Animal Alert, which warns approaching drivers when an animal is detected on or close to the carriageway. Although potentially valuable in rural parts of Britain, the feature could prove even more important in countries where collisions involving elk, moose, reindeer and other large animals are relatively common. A Vulnerable Road User Alert will provide warnings when pedestrians or cyclists are detected on or near highways. The wording suggests this is primarily intended for faster roads, where an unexpected person or bicycle could present an especially serious danger. Roadwork Alert will notify drivers about approaching roadworks, while Accident Ahead Alert will use live information from connected Volvo cars or traffic management centres to identify crashes farther along the route. All four alerts are intended to extend the driver’s awareness beyond the range of the car’s own sensors and, in some cases, beyond their direct line of sight. A vehicle around a bend could, for example, identify a hazard and pass that information to cars approaching the same location. The technology does not remove the driver’s responsibility to watch the