Volvo Cars is hoping that similar sensors to those already used for auto-braking to avoid pedestrians might also be used in future to prevent collisions with kangaroos.

If the carmarker gets its way, radar sensors in the car’s grille will work in tandem with a high-resolution camera in the windscreen to detect kangaroos that cross a car’s path.

A team of Volvo experts is conducting kangaroo research at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve near Canberra this week.

The results are expected to feed into the development of what Volvo calls the “first ever kangaroo detection and collision avoidance system.”

“Whereas Volvo Cars’ pedestrian detection technology is geared towards city driving, our kangaroo detection research is focusing on highway speed situations,” said Martin Magnusson, a senior safety engineer at Volvo Cars.

“Kangaroos are very unpredictable animals and difficult to avoid, but we are confident we can refine our technology to detect them and avoid collisions on the highway.”