Now how did I miss this? An interactive 360-degree video experience of Volvo's European medium-duty FL truck doing a "running with the bulls."

I was searching for more information on Volvo's concept 360-degree scanning technology when Google served up this entertaining tidbit from about a year ago, set to the '60s song "Wooly Bully."

I've written in this space about some of Volvo's other online video stunts, including Jean-Claude Van Damme's "Epic Split" and the highline walker "Ballerina Stunt," so I thought I'd better catch you up on this one in case you missed it like I did.

Inspired by the famous annual "Running of the Bulls" event in Pamplona, Spain, Volvo's video takes place in Ciudad Rodrigo in western Spain. It shows a Volvo FL truck zooming along a 1.25-mile course through the twisted streets of the town, with the bulls following close behind, while 50 professional bull runners and stuntmen try to avoid being trampled by the bulls (and stay out of the way of the truck.)

"The Chase 360°" used 28 high-definition cameras to capture the action from all angles, including a 360-degree camera mounted on the roof of the cab, a number of GoPro cameras, an octocopter for aerial footage and a camera mounted on the back of the bulls.

The project was designed to illustrate the maneuverability of the FL, which does some impressive cornering and squeezes through some pretty tight alleyways. (At one point the driver reaches out the window to fold the mirror in to squeeze through a tunnel.)

U.S. streets aren't quite so challenging, in general, and of course you wouldn't have bulls involved, but I could still see our own city drivers appreciating such a truck. Unfortunately, the FL isn't offered in North America.

The animals were specially prepared for the run by a professional bull wrangler to reduce unnecessary stress and avoid injuries. After the film, it notes, they were retired to a farm outside Guadalajara.

Watch the film below, or click here for the full interactive experience.

About the author
Deborah Lockridge

Deborah Lockridge

Editor and Associate Publisher

Reporting on trucking since 1990, Deborah is known for her award-winning magazine editorials and in-depth features on diverse issues, from the driver shortage to maintenance to rapidly changing technology.

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