Volvo showcases new safety technology

volvologoleft.jpgBeing known as one of the pioneers in vehicle safety, Volvo has been constantly researching new ways to make motoring safer. Volvo has brought us technologies like the Blind Spot Information System that we have in the fully imported second generation 3.2 litre Volvo S80. Here are a few new vehicle safety technologies that Volvo is showcasing:

Volvo Collision Warning with Auto Brake

Volvo Collision Warning Auto Brake

The Collision Warning with Auto Brake system helps the driver “see” people. It uses radar with a wide angel search area to detect objects in front of and around the car. If an object – say, a pedestrian – is detected, a red warning light will first come up on the car’s HUD, and a warning system will sound.

If the driver does not react to this, assisted panic braking is activated to help the driver when he slams on the brakes. If the driver somehow does not brake, the car activates the brakes automatically as a last resort – but only by 24km/h.

Volvo Collision Avoidance by Auto Steering

Volvo Collision Avoidance Auto Steering

Collision Avoidance by Auto Steering is an advanced version of Lane Departure Warning, in which the latter uses a camera to monitor the position of the car in relative to lane markers.

This new system takes it further by using both a camera and radar to monitor the position of the car itself and oncoming traffic. If the car moves into a wrong lane and there is an oncoming object detected, the car automatically steers itself back into the original lane,

Vehicle to Vehicle Communication

Volvo Vehicle to Vehicle Communication

Volvo is also testing out inter-vehicle communication – for example one car can receive information from another car further down the road and inform them of an obstacle in the middle of the road that has caused the driver to slam on the brakes and come to a halt. With this information, the other cars coming up the road can be warned before hand.

“With communication between vehicles, and between vehicles and the traffic environment, a large number of todays accidents could be avoided. The major challenges are to find a standard “language” and the particular applications that are most urgent and effective,” says Jonas Ekmark, Manager for Preventive Safety at Volvo Cars Safety Centre.

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Paul Tan

After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Comments

  • freeze (Member) on Dec 16, 2007 at 11:43 am

    -Collision Warning with Auto Brake-
    What does it mean “only by 24km/h”? It will slow down the speed by 24 (minus 24 from current speed)?

    -Collision Avoidance by Auto Steering-
    Sounds a bit scary that the steering can have a mind of its own.

    -Vehicle Communication-
    Very nice concept. Good if can avoid chain collisions.

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  • freeze (Member) on Dec 16, 2007 at 11:45 am

    “It uses radar with a wide angel search area to detect objects in front of and around the car.”

    angle misspelled i think

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  • w_lighter (Member) on Dec 16, 2007 at 11:46 am

    Ok.. as far as automated system goes. Most of the time they are pretty flawed. Firstly how do they actually define “people” Do the system actually see shapes of human or what? And if it does how about people on the side street and people on bikes? Do the thing goes beep beep beep everytime a motorbike pass by. How bout say a small kid bending down picking up a ball. That definately dont shape like a human. And can you imagine how confuse the system would be moving on malaysian road which dare i say 20% of them are unmarked coz of ongoing road construction. In any case, no matter how good they design system like this, it can sometimes be more of a trouble/annoyens than it do good. So i really DO hope they put a little off button there just in case.

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  • Paul Tan on Dec 16, 2007 at 11:52 am

    yup, it will slow down by 24kmh, but not more than that

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  • junky_man (Member) on Dec 16, 2007 at 11:57 am

    You can’t depend on it 100%. the onus is still up to the driver. nevertheless, it sure is a wonderful development to ASSIST drivers!

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  • LittleFire85 (Member) on Dec 16, 2007 at 1:56 pm

    Wow… me always fascinated by Volvo safety technology… by the way, the safety belt u wearing if in not mistaken is first implemented by Volvo.

    If i have a family and a lot of $$$, for sure i will buy 1 for my family. Wish to see the next new XC90.

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  • AmiR (Member) on Dec 16, 2007 at 7:44 pm

    dats why they call, Volvo For Life!..:)

    for me:
    if u want something fun to drive, it will be from BMW

    if u want something safe to drive, it will be from Volvo

    if u want someone to see who driving the car, it will be from Mers

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  • kington (Member) on Dec 17, 2007 at 8:34 am

    Ya… despite Volvo and Merc’s efforts to move away from the perceived categorization, it’s hard not to ignore how Volvo’s are synonimous with safety while the MErc, a badge to die to show.

    The R series from Volvo was a failure, especially the last S60R.. to much power in a car with no handling dynamics and a rather mundane chassis, but MErc’s new C Class has definitely closed the gap on the 3.. and in many mags you read out there, it’s even been tipped as a better car than the 3, especially the base 2 litre ones we have here.

    Volvo, on the other hand will always be one of my favorite brands, because they bring in sensible technology for consumers; cleaner emmissions, superb safety features and pretty elegant looking cars are qualities that stand well in the market.

    Sadly, like any other EU mark, it suffers in the resale value, especially against the Mercs.

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  • aesthari (Member) on Dec 17, 2007 at 10:59 am

    Don’t really like the sound of the automated brake and lane departure system; they sound a bit too intrusive and dangerous to me. The car might hit something at its side when auto-steering back into its lane at all, but the Volvo guys will work that out :p

    Vehicle to vehicle communication (V2V anyone? :p) is a good idea though. Makes sense, really, and it begs the question why hasn’t anyone thought of it earlier :p Of driver alertness sensors, autosteerings, traction control, outboard cameras, and intelligent brakes, this must be the best idea for accident-avoidance yet :) I believe this will be a standard on all cars one day, just like seat belts.

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  • arcana (Member) on Dec 17, 2007 at 5:58 pm

    hmm….these technologies are already available…..except maybe the car to car communication….havent seen that yet.
    braking assist and also lane departure warning+steer already in merc and lexus.

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  • mystvearn (Member) on Dec 18, 2007 at 2:09 am

    Volvo for life last time meant was that when you buy a volvo, you had to stick with it for life because that car has the same value as a rock. All the box looking volvo are still not that desirable…

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  • szw (Member) on Dec 19, 2007 at 4:50 pm

    nice technology

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  • Quim (Member) on May 20, 2008 at 7:17 am

    I don’t know who made it first, but honda has all this and I think a bit more. There are probably other makers working on something like this.
    You can see a video of how it works on this site: http://www.world.honda.com/HDTV/ASV/ASV-3-auto/index.html
    It has other interesting stuff.

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