New XC90: Impossible To Crash?

Volvo is building the anticipation leading up to the reveal of their new XC90. The latest snippet of information they released is about the its safety credentials. And being a Volvo, the list is extensive. It claims to boast two world firsts.

Number one is run-off road protection, which is a common accident type caused by driver distraction or fatigue. According to Volvo, a third of all single-vehicle accidents are run-off road related and half of traffic fatalities in the United States are road departure accidents.

In a run-off road scenario, the car detects what is happening and the front safety belts are tightened to keep the occupants in position. The belts are firmly tightened as long as the car is in motion. Then, to counter spine injuries, energy-absorbing functionality between the seat and seat frame cushions those jarring vertical forces of a hard landing.

But to prevent this altogether, it also has lane-keeping assistance which nudges the steering straight again if the car leaves its lane unintentionally. And a driver alertness warning which detects if you're tired or inattentive behind the wheel. It'll also direct you to the nearest rest area.

The next highlight is its ability to brake automatically at intersections. That can be a little misleading: it doesn't mean the XC90 will relieve your foot of its brake pedal duties. Quite simply, at crossings, it'll hit the brakes if it detects an impending collision with another vehicle. This should be handy in our market: we've all experienced poor roundabout etiquette at some point. Also, we wonder if Volvo will tweak the system to specifically handle those scenarios when the traffic lights are out and the four-way stop rule applies?

Volvo says the new SUV will be a parking maestro. Its Park Assist Pilot offers automatic reversing into a bay, in addition to being able to enter and exit a parallel parking spot. Twelve ultrasonic sensors around the car scan for empty slots and does a bit of mathematics to suss whether the XC90 will fit and whether you'll have space to get out of the vehicle without having to pretend to be a contortionist.

There's a 360-degree and bird's eye view too; but that's not entirely new having featured in high-end offerings from the Germans for a number of years now. Pre-crash protection for rear impacts ensure safety belts are tightened in advance and Volvo's new Whiplash Protection System (with the apt acronym 'WHIPS') promises to reduce injuries. Rollover stability control helps it stay on all fours, but if a rollover is inevitable, the curtain airbags deploy - and they cover all three seat rows for an extended period of time. All seven seats have safety belt pre-tensioners too.

In slow-moving queues, the XC90 will be able to accelerate, brake and steer automatically, keeping a safe and "comfortable" driving distance from the car in front. Volvo is adamant that the newcomer is stronger in every sense: it employs extensive use of hot-formed boron steel, which is the strongest type of steel currently used in the car body industry.

Public relations manager at Volvo South Africa, Astrid De La Rey, said the new XC90 can be expected on local shores in 2015.

-Ignition Live Reporter