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Volvo's new S40 even has an airbag for pedestrians. (Volvo)
When most drivers think of Volvo, we’d imagine that safety is one of the first things that comes to mind of many. And that’s probably an expectation that’s well deserved, since Volvo has always made safety the centerpiece of their automobiles.
Last year, the company debuted the first true pedestrian detection system. They’ve also been working with the same technologies to detect wildlife, such as deer and even domestic animals and pets, well before they’re spotted by the driver.
Advanced safety systems don’t simply lead to lower car insurance premiums. They do something more significant than just saving us a few bucks each month, since thesesafety features actually save lives.
Volvo is calling their new V40 “the most IntelliSafe Volvo so far.” While we’re not exactly taken with the hokey marketing term “IntelliSafe” we do think the V40 offers a glance at what drivers can expect to see become mainstream safety technology in future new cars from multiple manufacturers in the next decade.
“Volvo is leading the development of spearhead technology that helps the driver avoid collisions. All the features are designed around the driver, helping him or her to stay alert and well informed to avoid collisions and dangerous situations,” says Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Advisor Volvo Car Corporation. “The all-new V40 is the first car in our model range with technology that actively helps the driver steer clear of danger.”
Let’s take a quick look at some of the safety features Volvo has shoehorned into this new model:
Active High Beams/Bending Lights
Tired of having to switch from high to low beams manually? The Volvo V40 handles the task for you, offering automatic switching between high and low beam at the right moment.
The system utilizes a forward-facing camera and computerized image processing that will monitor the headlights and tail laps of other vehicles, and automatically switches between high and low beams, offering a driver the best possible visibility at night.
The headlamps on the V40 also swivel to follow the curves and bends of the road, a technology Volvo calls “Active Bending Lights.” The windshield detects rain, and automatically starts and regulates the wipers when there’s a downpour or a sprinkle.
Collision Warning/Automatic Braking
Volvo looks to remove the consequences of being distracted with its collision warning system. It’s estimated that as many as 90 percent of all accidents have distracted drivers as a primary cause, and half of all rear end collisions have a driver who never touched their brakes prior to the collision.
If the V40 detects that a collision is possible, it’ll warn the driver. If the driver fails to act, the car will apply the brakes itself, with full braking power. This isn’t the first Volvo with the collision warning system, but it now operates at much higher speeds that previous versions.
Driver Alert Control
According to Volvo, a full twenty-five percent of all accidents that take place on German Autobahns involves driver fatigue, and in Sweden, 30 percent of all accidents are caused by tired drivers.
Thus, the V40 includes Driver Alert Control, which is designed to detect and warn tired drivers. The system also can determine if a driver is being distracted. The system includes a camera, sensors and a control unit to continuously measures the distance between the car and the road lane markings.
Pedestrian Detection/Pedestrian Airbag
We’ve discussed the pedestrian detection system as developed and brought to market by Volvo earlier. Now, not only can the car detect a pedestrian, but it also features the world’s first airbag just for pedestrians.
Sensors in the front bumper register the physical contact between the car and the pedestrian. The rear end of the bonnet is released and at the same time elevated by the deploying airbag.
The inflated airbag covers the area under the raised bonnet plus approximately one third of the windscreen area and the lower part of the A-pillar. The raised bonnet and airbag will help reduce the severity of pedestrian injuries.
Road Sign Information
The Volvo V40 can not simply detect road signs – it even knows what they say. Using a front-facing camera, this system can detect if you’re in a “no passing” zone, and even if you’re exceeding the posted speed limit, giving the driver a visual warning in the speedometer if the speed limit is exceeded.
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