City Safety drastically reduces the risk of impacts

At speed of under 19 mph, the gadgetry uses laser sensor technology to detect vehicles up to 10 metres ahead of the car’s front bumper and reacts to vehicles in front that are either at a standstill or are moving slowly in the same direction as the car itself. If the gap continues to close and City Safety determines that a collision is likely, the brakes are pre-charged. If the driver takes no action, the brakes are applied automatically.

A Volvo Car UK spokesman said: “If the relative speed difference between the two vehicles is less than 9 mph, City Safety may help the driver entirely avoid the collision. Between 9 mph and 19 mph, the focus is on reducing speed as much as possible prior to the impact.

“We believe the potential of this equipment for reducing the risk of both personal injuries and car bodywork damage is significant. It has already resulted in a 25% reduction in insurance premiums in Germany and we are confident of a similar decrease for the UK.”

Developed in-house, the system makes 50 calculations a second to determine what braking force is necessary to avoid a collision. If it senses a collision situation, it reduces the throttle opening and activates the brake lights as well as automatically braking the car.

Key standard safety equipment on all XC60 models includes dual-stage driver and passenger airbags, a side impact protection system, side airbags and inflatable curtain, whiplash protection, anti-lock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and electronic brake assist.

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