Volvo Trucks has launched a security service system in a move to curb theft to long-haul trucks in Europe, which has been escalating over the past decade.
Some £7 billion worth of goods are stolen each year from long-haul trucks in Europe, according to Europol (European Police Office).
And the International Road Transport Union says nearly 20 per cent of Europe’s long-haul truck drivers have been robbed during work hours over a five-year period.
Volvo teamed up with Securitas Security Services to develop the service, which acts as a supplement to the Dynafleet transport information system in Europe.
It is designed to safeguard goods, featuring an alarm button which drivers can activate if in trouble, to alert the police or Securitas personnel.
The truck manufacturer is now developing a lockable fifth wheel which can be remotely controlled, to prevent trailers from being separated from the truck and disappearing.
The next stage in the security system provides protection from theft of the whole rig. With the help of a manual alarm, or a system that triggers an alert as soon as the truck passes a predetermined geographic perimeter, it will be possible to either prevent the truck from starting (via remote control) or gradually restrict its speed until it comes to a complete halt.
