20 November 2008
TELEMATICS
Collision Avoidance
Fleet managers concerned with driver and passenger safety can invest in modern vehicles equipped with advanced collision avoidance systems.
Modern automotive technology has advanced to the point where vehicles can almost think for themselves. Advances in passenger safety and collision avoidance technologies are especially impressive.
Volvo's driver alert control tells the driver
that it's time for a coffee break.
Volvo recently introduced a new Collision Avoidance System which was due to appear in Canadian dealerships earlier this year. The company’s latest preventative safety technologies focus on minimizing driver distractions that studies show cause up to 90-percent of all traffic collisions.
Innovative technologies
The Collision Avoidance System includes a number of innovative technologies:
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) helps the driver by maintaining the distance to the car in front thus contributing to relaxed driving control when the traffic flow is uneven. The driver activates the cruise control, sets the desired maximum speed and chooses a time interval to the car ahead. A radar sensor continuously measures the distance to the vehicle in front and automatically adapts the speed of the car to ensure that the distance is maintained.
Collision Warning with Auto Brake (CWAB) includes automatic braking when a rear-end collision is imminent. If the car approaches another vehicle from behind and the driver doesn’t react, a red warning light fl ashes in the head-up display on the windshield and triggers an audible signal. Should the risk of a collision increase despite the warning, brake support is activated. If the driver doesn’t brake and the sensor determines that a collision is imminent, the brakes are applied. Auto Brake lowers the impact speed and thereby helps reduce the risk of injury to the occupants of both vehicles.
Distance Alert (DA) helps the driver keep a proper distance to the vehicle in front even if the cruise control is disengaged. The system is activated via a button on the centre console. As with ACC, the driver can choose between five settings. If the time gap to the car in front becomes shorter than the selected value, the driver gets visual information in the head-up display on the lower part of the windshield.
Driver Alert Control (DAC) is designed for situations where the risk of losing concentration is the greatest. For example a straight, smooth road that lulls the driver into a sense of relaxation where the risk of distracting activities or falling asleep is high. A camera continuously measures the distance between the car and road lane markings. Sensors register the car’s movement while a control unit stores the information and calculates whether the driver risks losing control of the vehicle. If the risk assessed is high, the driver is alerted via an audible signal. A text message appears in the information display with a “coffee cup” symbol suggesting the driver take a break.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) helps prevent single-vehicle road departure accidents as well as head-on collisions due to temporary distraction. LDW is activated via a button on the centre control panel. It alerts the driver with a gentle warning sound if the car crosses road markings without an obvious reason - such as use of the turn signal indicator. The system employs a camera to monitor the car’s position between the road markings. It steps in at 65 km/h and stays active as long as the speed exceeds 60 km/h.
Volvo’s Collision Avoidance System is a stand-alone option on the XC70 and V70 with a retail price of $1,795. The system is part of the $3,445 Security Package on the S80 luxury sedan. | 
