Volvo boasts an excellent reputation for safety, and now a new study has found that the latest technology introduced by the Swedish carmaker has seen the number of rear-end frontal collisions slashed by more than a quarter.
Scandinavian insurance companies If and Volvia analysed their insurance data and found that Volvo’s new standard City Safety technology package, which uses auto braking collision avoidance, has reduced the number of claims from rear-end frontal collisions by 28 per cent. This type of low-speed accident commonly results in whiplash and other neck-related injuries. In addition to reducing the cost of personal injury claims, the new technology also has the added advantage for Volvo driver of minimising damage to their car and the associated repair costs. Not only this, but the proven performance of the City Safety system can also lead to lower insurance premiums, with Volvo claiming discounts of between 20-25 per cent are on offer from some insurers.
Volvo first introduced City Safety as standard in new models from 2008, when it operated at speeds up to 18mph. The second generation of the technology introduced in 2013 increased that operational speed limit to 31mph, and the study found the first two generations of the technology reduced rear-end frontal collisions by 28 per cent. The latest incarnation of City Safety, currently available only on new Volvo XC90 models, operates at all speeds. The insurance study focused on data for the domestic Swedish market, where Volvo boasts a one-fifth market share.
Volvo view City Safety as a further advancement toward driverless motoring, as Magdalena Lindman, Technical Expert, Traffic Safety Data Analysis at Volvo Cars, explained: “We see our continuous development of collision avoidance and steering assist systems as stepping stones towards autonomous cars. Volvo Cars is already at the forefront of autonomous car development and our huge credibility in car safety is a major advantage. We believe that collision avoidance systems will be an enabler for cars that do not crash and allow people the freedom to drive or be driven in comfort to their destination”.
Volvo’s Vision 2020 programme aims to eliminate serious injuries or deaths in Volvo cars by 2020, with a long term goal of designing cars that cannot crash.
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