The Swedish car maker Volvo is working on a ”city safety” system to prevent rear-end collisions at low speeds in urban environments.
According to the car maker, the system is being developed to reduce the 75% of reported collisions at low speeds of up to 30kph.
An optical radar system, integrated into the upper part of the windscreen, keeps an eye on the moving traffic ahead.
If a car in front suddenly brakes or is stationary, the system will automatically pre-charge the brakes to help the driver avoid an accident by slowing down in time or steering away from a potential collision. If a collision is imminent, the system will activate the car’s brakes automatically.
Volvo says the ”city safety” system should be available in about two years’ time. Volvo recently introduced collision warning and brake support in its S80 model, which alerts the driver with audible and visual signals if the gap to the car in front is reduced at a rate that makes an impact likely. — Sapa-dpa