To be honest, it is quite satisfying to see Volvo, the famous Swedish automaker, actually caring about its customers by striving to ensure their complete safety on the roads. Human life is a single-tracked essence, after all, and it is a shame to see it so easily wasted on roadside crashes and accidents. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1.35 million lives are lost each year due to traffic injuries, and the rate is not slowing down any time soon.

So, in its extraordinary Vision 2020, Volvo promises to completely eradicate the accidental fatalities and bring roadside injuries down to ‘zero’ by equipping its models with the latest protective technology. It’s a bold commitment to saving lives, and a commendable one at that. However, is Volvo anywhere near reaching its target? Most definitely, yes. Besides the in-car safety adjustments, like the 180 km per hour (112 mph) speed limiter, the auto-making giant has recently announced a safety guidance smartphone app—the first of its kind—to help the traumatized Volvo owners/drivers through the post-accidental process.

Collaborating with a Chicago-based information service CCC, Volvo is set to release the high-end ‘Car Accident Advisor’ app pretty soon. Once it rolls out, you can download it on your Android/iOS devices over a reliable network delivered by your internet provider. How does the app work, to be exact? Let’s find out below.

Emergency Response System

There is a certain precondition to the app’s existence. It becomes relevant only after the driver marks himself/herself safe and without injury in the accident. Just as the Volvo bumps into another vehicle on the road, its inherent ‘crash sensor’ immediately becomes active and sends an SOS over the flagship’s established network to the Volvo Customer Care.

This signaling accelerates the emergency response system from the representatives of the call center, who then communicate with the distressed driver about the intensity of the accident and the requirement of any ambulance. As the crash victim properly, and without the slightest doubt, confirms his/her well-being to the Volvo Care rep, then the ‘Accident Advisor’ app link is sent to the car owner/driver with a checklist of what to do next.

Digital Claiming through ‘Volvo Car Accident Advisor’

The moments following a car crash are some of the most hazy and disorienting ones for the victim. You are unable to process what just happened to you, and can’t exactly figure out what to do next. Such is the bewildering aftermath of a roadside collision—making you feel helpless at your worst. This is when a smartphone ‘Advisor’ app by Volvo comes as a knight in shining armor with its specific post-crash guidelines, regarding what to do with your totaled car. The steps include:

•    Photographic Evidence—The app directs you to take pictures of the areas where your Volvo has encountered disfiguration. This counts as visual evidence of the car crash and is added to the documentation file.

•    Damage Facts—Next, the app requires you to note down in words the exact nature of the accident-caused damaged that the car has received. A textual fact-stating helps strengthen the final claim.

•    Other Vehicular Involvement—Were there any other vehicles involved in the crash? If yes, then the app advises you to mention them and their plate number(s) if you see any. This aids in bringing the involved parties around for the ultimate insurance case.

•    Exact Location Pinpoint—Where did the accident happen? Check out the GPS on your phone and jot down the location in the app for a better geographical tracking.

Once the ‘paperwork’ of the accident is set in place, the ‘Advisor’ app compiles the documentation in the form of a final report, and enables the car owner to send it to his/her insurer from right there on the crash site, in a matter of minutes, provided the strength of the internet signals carry it through.

Volvo has a neat integration with a multitude of insurance companies and makes the digital claiming experience liquid easy for the traumatized victim.

Repair Service Finder

Another wonderful service offered by Volvo Cars through their amazing app is the ‘body shop finder’ facility. From his/her phone, the distressed driver can scan the area for any auto repair shops recognized by Volvo, and book the one which is the nearest. This remarkable immediacy saves time by the loads and eases the troubles of the drivers stuck on the scene.

“Tow for Life” Program

Although Volvo is working to rebrand ‘Car Accident Advisor’ app to something more in-house, the Swedish automaker also has another related project in the pipeline, i.e. a ‘Tow for Life’ facility. With this option, the accident victims won’t have to worry about finding a tow truck and wait eons for it. Volvo promises lasting convenience through this complimentary towing program.

Applicability

Volvo vehicles after the 2015.5 model with the built-in connectivity and SOS button will be free to access the ‘Car Accident Advisor’ app system, once it rolls out. Though older models can use it through the call center agents, once they ensure that no injury has been sustained in the crash.

Therefore, with such maneuvers in place, Volvo might just be able to pull off its zero-fatality Vision 2020. What do you think?