Volvo Cars unveils flagship, fully electric SUV, LiDAR, safety tech
The Volvo EX90 will be a new fully electric, seven-seater SUV with LiDAR and driver-sensor tech.
Volvo Cars has unveiled the name of its new, next-generation electric vehicle - the Volvo EX90 - as well as a LiDAR and driver-sensor technology that could help reduce accidents by up to 20 per cent*.
In a keynote speech on 21 September, Volvo Cars CEO Jim Rowan presented his vision for the future of safety and the company. Volvo Cars shared that its next flagship SUV - the Volvo EX90, which Rowan said would include safety technology “beyond any Volvo car before”.
“For us, safety is not a marketing exercise or another regulation for us to clear. Safety is at the very core of our purpose,” he said.
“With state of the art sensors and software, our next car will be able to see the world in point cloud, as you can see around me. These sensors are powered by Volvo Cars’ unique combination of advanced core computing and software to enable improvement in safety in the digital age - like the three-point seatbelt did in the late 1950s.”
“For us, safety is not a marketing exercise or another regulation for us to clear. Safety is at the very core of our purpose,”
**Driver understanding**
A real-time interior sensing system is designed to help the car take action to avoid accidents. Two cameras will pick up early signals the driver is not at their best using eye-gaze patterns.
"Our research shows that by simply observing where the driver is looking and how often and for how long their eyes are closed, we can tell a lot about the state of the driver," Emma Tivesten, Senior Technical Expert at Volvo Cars Safety Centre, said.
"By basing its calculations on our research findings, the sensing system allows our cars to identify whether the driver's ability is impaired, perhaps due to drowsiness, distraction or other causes for inattention and to offer extra assistance in a way that best suits the situation."
Looking at the road too little could mean distraction. Too much could mean cognitive distraction. The car is designed to be able to send a warning signal that grows in volume, or can even safely stop by the side of the road and turn its hazard lights on.
**Invisible shield**
Volvo Cars is aiming for an ambitious goal: zero deaths or serious injuries in Volvo cars. As well as internal sensors, the EX90 will have an array of external eight cameras, five radars, 16 ultrasonic sensors and a cutting edge LiDAR sensor that, along with a core computing platform and software, create a 360-degree real-time view of the world around the car.
LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging, and the new array, embedded in the roofline of the EX90, could help reduce accidents by up to 20 per cent*.
LiDAR can detect pedestrians up to 250-metres away, and something as small and dark as a tire on a black road 120-metres ahead.
"We believe the EX90 to be the safest Volvo car to ever hit the road," said Joachim de Verdier, head of Safe Vehicle Automation at Volvo Cars.
“When all our safety systems, sensors, software and computing power come together, they create a preventative shield of safety around you – and you won't even know it's there until you need it."
*Scenario frequencies based on Volvo Cars Traffic Accident Database.
Please note: Future technology described above is not yet available and may be subject to change. Vehicle specifications are subject to change. Features shown and described above may not be standard or available for all equipment levels and powertrain options and may vary from market to market. Please drive responsibly, driver and vehicle support functions are not a substitute for the driver’s attention and judgement.
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