Copenhagenize takes a look at the new Volvo S60 which has been seen around their city training it’s new Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection. The system which will display a heads up warning when the car is too close to pedestrians and stop (or at speed, slow) the car if needed will be an optional item in the S60.
The development of this system has taken 10 years. Pedestrians were chosen first because 16% of all traffic related deaths in Sweden are pedestrians and 11% of all serious injuries in accidents are pedestrians. They are the high risk group. The speed is under 25 km/h in half of these accidents which is why a total automatic stop will have an enormous effect. And a reduction of speed from 50 to 25 km/h will reduce the risk of death by 85%.
Streetsblog wonders if having an ostensibly crash-proof car will result in less careful drivers?
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And people say I’m nuts when I say we’re less than 5 years out from fully autonomous vehicles.
It’s coming feature by feature. If I had to bet, I’d say the first autonomous car will be rolled out by Toyota or Honda.