A Look at the Different Automatic Braking Features of Your Volvo
December 21 2022,
Most new vehicles on the market are equipped with some form of forward collision warning technologies, but Volvo vehicles go further by enhancing these technologies in order to help avoid collisions with vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and large animals.
The basic system
The forward collision warning system found in Volvo vehicles uses a radar sensor and a camera in order to identify obstacles such as other vehicles that create a risk of collision by being in the way of your vehicle. Once the system determines that a collision is about to happen, it warns you by flashing lights on the windshield, sounding an alarm and even pulsing the brakes. If you still don’t react, the vehicle will brake for you in order to avoid the collision or at least reduce the force of the impact.
Pedestrian and cyclist detection
The Volvo forward collision warning system is one of the most capable on the market since it can also detect pedestrians and cyclists that are crossing the vehicle’s path. Once the camera has identified the head and body of a pedestrian, it can help you avoid the collision if you are travelling at up to 45 km/h. A similar process is used to avoid collisions with a cyclist except that the system is capable of doing so at speeds up to 50 km/h. If your Volvo is moving faster than these speeds, the collision won’t be avoided but its force will be greatly reduced, which means that pedestrians or cyclists who get hit are less likely to receive major injuries.
Large animal detection
Volvo vehicles are among the few in the entire automotive industry that are capable of detecting large animals in order to mitigate collisions. If a large animal such as a moose, a horse or a deer crosses the road in front of your Volvo, the forward collision warning system will be activated in a similar manner as in the other cases, except that the speed will be reduced by about 15 km/h. This might not seem like much, but at highway speeds, this can make a big difference in terms of injuries and damage.
