Volvo XC90 gets world-first safety tech

Volvo says its high-tech flagship SUV, the XC90, will be one of the world's safest vehicles when it debuts in August, by introducing two new world-first technologies.

The seven-seat Swedish SUV will be fitted as standard with new 'run-off road protection' and 'autobrake at intersections' systems, endowing the XC90 with the "the most comprehensive and technologically sophisticated standard safety package available in the automotive industry," says Volvo.

It's a bold statement, but the Chinese-owned European car-maker is determined to reach its goal of building cars that should not crash by 2020, and by that measure "no one should be killed or injured in a new Volvo car".

Volvo's new run-off road protection system combines Lane Keeping Aid to automatically steer the car back on course by monitoring road markings, and Driver Alert Control to manage fatigue, but in the event the car does leave the road, the front seat belts are tightened until the car reaches a stop.

The seats are also specially designed to reduce spinal injuries says Volvo.

Volvo's second all-new safety system is the intersection autobrake function, which as the name suggests will automatically stop the car in the event the driver turns in front of an approaching car at an intersection.

According to Volvo, drivers turning in front of moving vehicles from busy urban intersections and even highways is a common problem, which led the company to develop the new system.

"These two world firsts are further examples of how new technologies target substantial real-life traffic problems," said Professor Lotta Jakobsson, Senior Technical Specialist Safety at Volvo Cars Safety Centre.

"This strategy moves us closer and closer to our ambition that by 2020 no-one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo."

"Committing to safety is not about passing a test or getting a ranking. It is about finding out how and why accidents and injuries occur, and then developing the technology to prevent them. We lead, the industry follows," said Jakobsson.

The XC90 will be propelled by a number of different engines, including regular four-cylinder turbo-petrol and diesel units, and a new 298kW four-cylinder hybrid.

The large SUV will be easier to park, with 360-degree camera views, proximity parking sensors, and a rear-view camera. It can also reverse and parallel park itself.

The seven-seat European SUV is based on Volvo's new scalable product architecture (SPA) that will underpin the company's new generation of vehicles, incorporating a range of new convenience and safety features. As well an all-new touch-screen dominated 'button-free' interior design, the new XC90 will make use of pre-crash protection in rear impacts (via rear-facing radars), rollover prevention/protection, blind-spot detection, auto-braking functionality, adaptive cruise control with steering assistance, and even night-time pedestrian and animal detection systems.

"Our starting point on safety is the same today as it was 87 years ago: real-life situations," stated Dr Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research and Development of Volvo Car Group.

"We study data. We crunch numbers. We innovate. The result is one of the safest cars ever made."

The new, more expensive Volvo XC90 will arrive in Australia in early 2015 after its international debut in August 2014.