Sweden uses real-time car data to detect slippy roads

The Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) is pioneering a unique method to enhance winter road safety and maintenance by purchasing real-time data from car manufacturers, including Volvo and the Volkswagen Group subsidiary Nira Dynamics. For an annual cost of 7 million SEK (€635,000), Trafikverket is buying information generated when a car’s safety systems (such as ABS or traction control) activate. 

These data are converted into precise friction values, detailing exactly how slippery the road is at that exact location. Annika Canaki, Head of Road Systems at Trafikverket, stated: “We are the first in the world to use this method.” The programme provides the agency with 300 million measurement points, a massive increase over the 3,000 previously collected by dedicated test vehicles. 

This high-resolution, anonymised data, combined with information from 750 weather stations, will allow Trafikverket to act quicker on gritting and snow clearance, and systematically evaluate the performance of its maintenance contractors, ultimately improving road safety and accessibility during harsh winter months.