The chief operating officer Steven Armstrong from Volvo just made the following claim at the launch of the Volvo S60: “NOBODY will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by 2020.”

That will be achieved by combining further improvements in crash protection with new technologies that prevent accidents form happening.

One such technology is the new and clever pedestrian avoidance system adaptation that permits the car to detect runaway animals and brake.

Other improvements include a new technology that uses GPS and GSM to effectively see around corners and communicate with surrounding vehicles about the dangers that may be around. Surprisingly  the inspiration for the new technology came form the horse. Peter Janevik, safety manager at Volovo commented: “When you want to gallop, it does what you want it to. But if it spotsa danger you haven’t, it will stop,”

The new avoidance system uses a combination of camera and radar technology to identify pedestrians that are likely to step in front of the car, and hitting the brakes a fraction of a second later if the do. The first car to receive the new technology is the S60. Javenik also added that “These devices will only be there to help when needed. They won’t intervene against your wishes,” .

Volvo is also setting up ‘road train’ technology, which works by linking vehicles via radar and thus the driver can work and even sleep while traveling by car. The “road train ” will be put to a trial later this year.

The “No more deaths”claim might seem a bit science fiction but remember that between 1989 and 1993 no one died in the Volvo 240 saloon making it the safest car of that time.

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Tags: 240, accidents, pedestrian avoidance, safety, technology, volvo