Volvo clears the air on XC60 City Safety system “fail”

If you’ve been on the internet recently, you may (or may not) have seen a video of a Volvo XC60 where by it is claimed the SUV’s autonomous emergency braking system “failed” to function properly.

In the video, the XC60 is seen colliding with two men during an unofficial safety demonstration in the Dominican Republic. However, Volvo Car Malaysia has released an official statement to clear the air on the whole issue.

Firstly, even though the car in the video is equipped with the brand’s City Safety system (active in speeds up to 50 km/h), it did not have the optional Pedestrian Detection functionality (this feature is standard on the XC60 T6 variant sold in Malaysia), which would have prevented the car from colliding with the two men. Therefore, these gentlemen should have known better than to demonstrate a safety feature that isn’t fitted on the car they are testing.

The company explains further, stating that even if the car was equipped with this feature, heavy acceleration (i.e. pedal floored) by the driver could have caused the system to be overridden and deactivated. This is because the system detects that the driver intends to perform the action deliberately, deactivating itself as a result.

Contrary to the title of the video, both men were alright and none of them were paralysed, nor were they a managing directors of Volvo Cars. Volvo Car Malaysia strongly recommends its dealers, partners and customers to never perform test towards real humans.

The video itself isn’t new, with the incident taking place back in 2015. At the time, Volvo issued a statement confirming the accused XC60 did not have the optional Pedestrian Detection feature, and there was nothing wrong with the car itself.

Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.

10% discount when you renew your car insurance

Compare prices between different insurer providers and use the promo code 'PAULTAN10' when you make your payment to save the most on your car insurance renewal compared to other competing services.

Car Insurance

Gerard Lye

Originating from the corporate world with a background in finance and economics, Gerard's strong love for cars led him to take the plunge into the automotive media industry. It was only then did he realise that there are more things to a car than just horsepower count.

 

Comments

  • YB Kunta Kinte on Jun 22, 2017 at 6:04 pm

    Too much of complication with Volvo cars. Malaysians cannot understand. Need this feature for that feature to work etc. Anyway why is Volvo Malaysia giving a statement now when the video was in 2015? 2 years later release a response? Isn’t that so late?

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 97 Thumb down 35
    • Gerard Lye (Member) on Jun 22, 2017 at 6:06 pm

      The video, although old, has apparently been circulating (again) on social media and messaging apps.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 50 Thumb down 2
      • tokmoh. on Jun 22, 2017 at 7:19 pm

        Ini mesti agenda DrM untuk discredit Volvo, Geely dan family.

        Volvo gave 3-point seat belt patent for free, Volvo saved millions of lives since 1927, and committed that by 2020, no one will die or be seriously injured in one.

        Apa salahan Volvo?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 42 Thumb down 18
        • timbuktu on Jun 22, 2017 at 7:42 pm

          Cukurrr Geely steady no lansi.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0
          • Nancy Liu on Jun 23, 2017 at 9:34 am

            Volvo dont know how to do safe tests. They only to how to come here and say oh wai oh wai oh wai

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 5
          • Sama L00 on Jun 23, 2017 at 1:54 pm

            First, it need to have the system for vehicles detection,
            Then for pedestrians,
            Then for motorcycles,
            Then for trees,
            Then for divider,
            Then for tiang lampu,
            Then for baby stroller…

            How many systems does Volve need to install?

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 4
        • YB Kunta Kinte on Jun 23, 2017 at 9:12 am

          Nasib baik Geely ada selamatkan Volvo.

          We Malaysians are also grateful Geely selamatkan Proton! Terimakasih China!

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
        • fanofthisite on Jun 23, 2017 at 2:52 pm

          apa lah tuduh Dr M? How many times on all sorts of topics of old do we see articles and vidoes circulating again and again with unsuspecting ppl thinking its berita hangat to viralkan. In same way I would say the original a-hole who circulated the conveniently edited J Clarkson’s Top Gear segment some yrs back of conspiracy against Proton (I wont even claim against Tun ) as the rest of the video showed the Freelander faring worse than than Waja on off-set crash test.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
    • Have to be idiots to do live test with humans. Usually they will offer a cardboard or wooden cutouts to test. I have tested with Volvo and Infinity before and have systems fail, so be aware of offering yourself as dummies for these.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 3
    • Trophy88 on Jun 22, 2017 at 7:58 pm

      Would be good if Volvo can invent a Kunta detection function, when Kunta is detected it speeds and collides with Kunta

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 38
    • There you go. YBKK has shown himself for what he really is.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 32
    • We have pipu bring up old fake news, apatah lagi just 2 years old only video?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 18
      • john doery on Jun 23, 2017 at 12:04 am

        We have pipu bring up old fake forex news 1980s…O waiii

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
      • YB Kunta Kinte on Jun 23, 2017 at 9:15 am

        fake news is like you telling people Saga got vsc and petrol in Malaysia is cheapest in the world

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 4
        • Read lah. Dun be lazy.
          paultan.org/2016/09/29/2016-proton-saga-specifications-by-variant/

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 13
    • Timun kuat on Jun 23, 2017 at 12:04 am

      Volvo is far behind German car in terms of software technology.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 6
    • IrizX on Jun 23, 2017 at 10:13 am

      This feature is useless in Malaysia.

      Car auto-braked. Rempit from behind cant’s stop in time bang you, fly and die.

      Sarahan you jugak.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • tokmoh. on Jun 22, 2017 at 7:15 pm

    >Wanna test City Safety feature.
    >The car doesn’t even have it.

    Kek.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 6
  • polla on Jun 22, 2017 at 8:12 pm

    Ran out of dummy?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Local Cowboy on Jun 22, 2017 at 8:22 pm

    Clear the air does not exist in our local motor industry

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 1
  • Semi-Value (Member) on Jun 22, 2017 at 8:38 pm

    typical malaysian….sikit sikit go viral…even though video so old sudah

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 6
  • Did the pedestrian need to check either that model installed with that optional features?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0
    • They need to check right and left and right again before crossing the road not playing candy crush while crossing.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
    • No. But the driver/owner is.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • kiddd on Jun 23, 2017 at 2:44 am

    the car can differentiate between normal obstacle or pedestrian??
    maybe the car want u to save your ass while try to ramming friday the 13.. heheh

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Sonyman1 on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:08 am

    Pedestrian detection don’t work on static mode. Obviously it works when you walk into its path then it will break.

    Not a fail system but a fail.test. that all. It’s called sohai testing something they don’t understand.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Sonyman1 on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:08 am

    Pedestrian detection don’t work on static mode. Obviously it works when you walk into its path then it will break.

    Not a fail system but a fail.test. that all. It’s called sohai testing something they don’t understand.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Sonyman1 on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:09 am

    Pedestrian detection don’t work on static mode. Obviously it works when you walk into its path then it will break.

    Not a fail system but a fail.test. that all. It’s called sohai testing something they don’t understand. What a fuss. Sometimes ppl like to share things they don’t understand also.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • I think Volvo deserves the bad rap. It put its wallet before their core value – safety. To me safety should not be a luxury. Moreover, if the customer already paid for City safe, why do you want to change extra for pedestrian sensors? Why T6 version has it standard then? And the funny bit is that the system disengages if you floor the pedals. Isn’t it’s it more useful to leave it engaged? In a case where the driver is drunk or had a heart attack etc. The system should be engage at all time unless the driver disengage it himself! After all that’s what you do about your anti-skid system isn’t it?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 4
  • Repeated reasons like ‘it was an optional feature’ or ‘it wasn’t turned on’ mentioned after ‘accidents’ during safety demonstrations by Volvo, Mercedes and other car manufacturers suggests that they should be a standard feature across the range and always be turned on.

    If the safety or driving aide can be switched off, it should be accompanied by bright flashing lights and sirens when deactivated to remind the driver. :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • 12yrsold on Jun 23, 2017 at 8:41 am

    It was so easy to annoy people who dislike Volvo. Just release the 1st video is enough to make comments fluttering out like honey to bees.

    It is a very good advertisement for Volvo to showcase their City Safety System if U see the 2nd video & read the entire article. Good job Volvo.

    If PT.org is conducting a survey on how positive/negative it’s commentators react to this particular videos, U have succeeded in your survey to see if we SEE the “Glass is half empty or half Full”. Good job PT.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Ben Yap on Jun 23, 2017 at 9:37 am

    The 2 men said “I trust Volvo with my life, Volvo for life”.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • james on Jun 23, 2017 at 10:16 am

    Next time you plan to buy Volvo car & SA tell you the car equipped with City Safety system and Pedestrian Detection functionality, ask him/her for testing, if he/she refused, dont buy the car, bcoz he don’t trust as well

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • passion on Jun 23, 2017 at 11:48 am

    what a dumb group of people testing with a real human. OMG!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • fanofthisite on Jun 23, 2017 at 2:48 pm

    so the driver was an idiot and the persons standing in front had too much faith. Dummies ;-)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Sam Loo (ori1) on Jun 23, 2017 at 11:40 pm

    This is based on a Geely Boyue right?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • isit me? or did the “MD” dude in purple shirt just transformed into the cardboard thingy on the floor ^^

    looks more like a magic show

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • Ajmie on Jul 19, 2017 at 9:43 pm

    Anyhow still failure right?.. And take god damn 2 years to explain… Haha joke la… U all at volvo

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
 

Add a comment

required

required