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Volvo has designed a car that stops itself Date published: 1/24/2009
LEGENDARY AND I say, somebody please stop me before I bend another fender. Fortunately, the automobile industry has become less testosterone-driven in recent years and shifted common sense into gear. And now Volvo has designed a car to stop itself. The 2010 Volvo XC60 with City Safety will do just that without driver intervention at speeds under 20 miles per hour in downtown driving or gridlock crawl situations like the ones Fredericksburg commuters often experience Volvo has determined that 75 percent of all collisions take place at speeds of 19 mph of less. It's found that in 50 percent of accidents, the drivers, often distracted, never even turn the steering wheel or tap the brake pedal. The City Safety system employs a forward-facing laser mounted at the top of the windshield that "sees" objects in the car's path. If the car senses an imminent collision and the driver is say, looking in the mirror, applying eyeliner, reading If the difference in speed the two cars are traveling At higher speeds, Volvo has employed a system of buzzers and lights to warn the driver of an impending collision. It also has developed a system that gauges the driver's concentration level, warns you to pay attention and suggests you stop for a break. This could wake up drivers who are falling asleep and save lives. In the next 20 years, we can expect cars to go on the market that will drive us safely to work while we nap or read the newspaper. Until then, the Volvo XC60 is about as safe as
In the near term, when most drivers seemingly have a cell phone surgically attached to their heads, City Safety-like systems should become standard equipment in every new car.
Now all we need is a car with a backward mounted laser that vaporizes other cars that are about to rear end us at 40 miles per hour. When that technology is introduced, I'll feel truly safe on the roads.
Michael Zitz: 540/846-5163
1. Be respectful. No personal attacks.
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