Volvo hits the brakes
21 September 2005 The new Collision Warning and Auto Brake system uses a combined forward-facing radar and camera to detect if the car is about to drive into an object, such as another vehicle or a bridge; it alerts the driver first and then brakes to minimise the impact. If you take your eyes off the road and miss the car in front braking heavily, it will warn the driver two or three seconds before a collision,' said Jonas Ekmark, Volvo's active safety expert. If the driver does not respond, it will brake when the collision becomes inevitable.' The new system will initially be offered as part of an optional active-cruise-control system on the new S80 and is likely to cost at least £1000. Volvo is busy developing a range of new driver aids to keep its reputation as a safety pioneer. Its Driver Alert system monitors drivers' responses to spot and warn against drowsiness and wandering concentration. It will be launched in the next few years. Both new safety systems come under the new Volvo Co-Driver scheme, which aims to transform the way the car and driver interact. Radar and camera detectors will be used more and more to monitor dangers on the road, warn the driver and take preventative action accordingly. |
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