The all-new, pure-electric Volvo XC90 will make its debut in 2022 with pioneering new technology that will raise the benchmark for automotive safety.
Featuring state-of-the-art sensors including LiDAR – which uses lasers to accurately measure distance – the all-new 2021 Volvo XC90 is primed to introduce Level 3 autonomous driving aids that allow hands-off/eyes-off driving in certain geofenced locations, like the highway.
Developed in conjunction with Silicon Valley-based tech firm Luminar, the new sensors, which also include radars and cameras, are expected to be roof-mounted for extra accuracy.
Helping crunch all that data from those sensors is new software developed by Swedish firm Zenseact and Luminar.
The result will not only enhance the autonomous abilities of the Volvo XC90, but also boost safety.
Better still, thanks to over-the-air updates, the system is claimed to get better and grow in capabilities as it ages.
As well as the LiDAR, Volvo says the next XC90 will also come with back-up systems that compensate in any event of a failure.
For the third-generation BMW X5-rivalling SUV, Volvo will also introduce artificial intelligence (AI) capability developed by Californian-based microchip-maker NVIDIA.
The extra processing power of its new supercomputer is claimed to boost safety to such an extent you'll pay less to insure the vehicle.
Volvo is so confident in the new tech, it expects collisions involving the XC90 will be rare.
In some markets, the Swedish brand will launch a 'care package' with its pure-electric models that, for a monthly or annual fee, takes care of all maintenance and throws the insurance in for free.
“In our ambition to deliver ever safer cars, our long-term aim is to achieve zero collisions and avoid crashes altogether,” said Volvo's chief technology officer Henrik Green.
“As we improve our safety technology continuously through updates over the air, we expect collisions to become increasingly rare and hope to save more lives.”
Stay tuned, as more details of the 2022 Volvo XC90 will be released on June 30.