Laser Safety Technology by Volvo

2009 April 15
by Justin Hill
“The Swedish car company [Volvo] has long been associated with automotive safety firsts — the first to fit three-point seat belts, head restraints, daytime running lights and anti-submarining seats among others,” states a recent article by Pedro Arrais of the Times Colonist. Now, Volvo is introducing a safety system in their 2010 XC60 using laser technology to reduce the severity of or eliminate some low-speed collisions. Mr. Arrais explains:
Here’s how it works: Laser sensors monitor the area in front of the vehicle. If they determine a collision is imminent, they will automatically apply the brakes without driver input. The system is designed for low-speed situations, with speeds below 30 km/h. Sorry, although I am confident the system will perform as designed, I did not actually test it. Be aware the system is not sensitive enough to recognize pedestrians, strollers or two-wheeled vehicles, as there is not enough mass for the lasers to detect.

This could be an important step forward in automotive safety, and it will be interesting to see how the other automotive manufacturers react to this technology.

from → Safer Alternative Design

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