Pilot Assist*

Pilot Assist1 can help the driver keep the vehicle in the current traffic lane and maintain an even speed and a set time interval to the vehicle ahead.
P5-1507-Adaptive Cruise Control, overview detection of vehicle ahead and side markings
The camera/radar sensor monitors the distance to the vehicle ahead and detects lane markings.
  1. P5-Icon red circle 1Camera and radar sensor
  2. P5-Icon red circle 2Distance monitor
  3. P5-Icon red circle 3Lane marker line monitors

Get to know Pilot Assist

Pilot Assist helps to steer the vehicle, and you may need to drive a few miles with Pilot Assist before you feel completely at home with the function. It is important to be familiar with all of the function's applications and limitations in order to take advantage of all it has to offer.

The Pilot Assist function is primarily intended for use on highways and other major roads where it can help provide a more comfortable and relaxing driving experience.

The driver sets the desired speed and distance to the vehicle ahead. Pilot Assist monitors the distance to the vehicle ahead and the traffic lane's side markers using the camera. The system maintains the set time interval to the vehicle ahead by automatically adjusting your vehicle's speed and keeps your vehicle in its lane by providing steering assistance.

If the Curve Speed Assist (CSA)* function is activated, it may also affect the vehicle's speed.

Pilot Assist regulates speed by accelerating and braking. It is normal for the brakes to emit a slight sound when they are being used to adjust speed.

Pilot Assist is designed to:
  • smoothly regulate speed. The driver must apply the brakes in situations requiring immediate braking. For example, when there are great differences in speed between vehicles or if the vehicle ahead brakes suddenly. Due to limitations in the camera and radar sensor, braking may occur unexpectedly or not at all.
  • follow a vehicle ahead in the same lane and maintain a time interval to that vehicle set by the driver. If the radar sensor does not detect a vehicle ahead, it will instead maintain the speed set by the driver. This will also happen if the speed of the vehicle ahead exceeds the set speed for your vehicle.

The vehicle's position in the traffic lane

When Pilot Assist helps to steer, it attempts to position the vehicle halfway between the visible lane marking lines. For a smoother drive, it is a good idea to allow the vehicle to find a good position. The driver can always adjust the position him/herself by increasing steering input. It is important for the driver to make sure the vehicle is positioned safely in the lane.

If Pilot Assist does not position the vehicle appropriately in the lane, the driver should turn off Pilot Assist or switch to Adaptive Cruise Control*.

Steering assistance

P5-1617-PilotAssist2 Symbol Steering Standby

The color of the steering wheel symbol indicates the current status of steering assistance:

• Illuminated indicates that steering assistance is active

• Extinguished (as shown in illustration) indicates that steering assistance is deactivated.

Pilot Assist's steering assistance is based on monitoring the direction of the vehicle ahead and the traffic lane's side marker lines. The driver can adjust steering assistance from Pilot Assist at any time and steer in another direction, e.g. to change lanes or avoid obstacles on the road. Resistance will be felt in the steering wheel as long as steering assistance is active.

Temporarily deactivating steering assistance

 Warning

Pilot Assist is deactivated automatically and resumes working without prior notice.

When the turn signals are used, Pilot Assist's steering assistance will be temporarily deactivated. When the direction indicator is turned off, steering assistance is reactivated automatically if the lane's edge markings can still be detected.

If Pilot Assist cannot clearly interpret the lane's side marker lines and if the camera is unable for some other reason to clearly interpret the lane, Pilot Assist will temporarily deactivate steering assistance. The speed and distance warning functions will remain active. Steering assistance will resume when the side marker lines can once again be interpreted. In these situations, the driver may be alerted through slight vibrations in the steering wheel that steering assistance is temporarily deactivated.

In curves and forks in the road

Pilot Assist is designed to interact with the driver. The driver should never wait for steering assistance from Pilot Assist, but instead should always be ready to increase his or her own steering efforts, particularly in curves.

When the vehicle is approaching an off-ramp or a fork in the road, the driver should steer toward the desired lane so that Pilot Assist can detect the desired direction of travel.

Hands on the steering wheel

P6-1817-PA-Symbol Hands-on-Steeringwheel

Pilot Assist only functions if the driver's hands are on the steering wheel. It is also important for the driver to always continue to be active and alert when driving since Pilot Assist is unable to read all situations and may toggle between off and on without prior warning.

 Warning

Act immediately if any warning signal is triggered – do not wait for all levels of warnings and assistance from the systems to be provided.
  1. If Pilot Assist detects that the driver's hands are not on the steering wheel, the system will provide a symbol and a text message in the instrument panel to instruct the driver to actively steer the vehicle.
  2. If the driver's hands are still detected on the steering wheel after a few seconds have passed the instructions to actively steer the vehicle will be repeated accompanied by an audible signal.
  3. If Pilot Assist still does not detect the driver's hands on the steering wheel after a few more seconds have passed, the function will be switched off. Pilot Assist must then be restarted by pressing the P5-1507-Cruise Control, speed limiter, activates speed limiter and stores current speed symbol 5x3,5 button on the steering wheel. After it is switched off, the function will continue to alert with sound and light signals for up to 5 seconds.

Steep roads and/or heavy loads

Pilot Assist is primarily intended to be driven on flat roads. The function may not be able to maintain the correct time interval to the vehicle ahead when driving down steep downgrades. The driver should be extra attentive and prepared to apply the brakes.

Do not use Pilot Assist if the vehicle is carrying a heavy load or towing a trailer.

 Note

Pilot Assist cannot be activated if a trailer, bike carrier or similar is connected to the vehicle electrical system.

Read all warnings before use

 Warning

  • The function is supplementary driver support intended to facilitate driving and help make it safer – it cannot handle all situations in all traffic, weather and road conditions.
  • The driver is advised to read all sections in the Owner's Manual about this function to learn of its limitations, which the driver must be aware of before using the function.
  • Driver support functions are not a substitute for the driver's attention and judgment. The driver is always responsible for ensuring the vehicle is driven in a safe manner, at the appropriate speed, with an appropriate distance to other vehicles, and in accordance with current traffic rules and regulations.

 Note

The function uses the vehicle's camera and radar sensor, which has certain general limitations.

 Important

Only a workshop may perform maintenance on driver support components – an authorized Volvo workshop is recommended.

 Warning

In some situations, Pilot Assist may have trouble helping the driver properly or may be deactivated automatically – we advise against using Pilot Assist in such cases. Examples of such situations include:
  • the lane markings are unclear, worn, missing, cross each other, or there are multiple sets of road markings.
  • the lane division changes, e.g. when lanes split or merge, and at off-ramps.
  • when there is road construction and sudden changes to the road surface, e.g. when the lines may no longer mark the correct route.
  • edges or other lines than lane markings are present on or near the road, e.g. curbs, joints or repairs to the road surface, edges of barriers, roadside edges or strong shadows.
  • the lane is narrow or winding.
  • the lane contains ridges or holes.
  • weather conditions are poor, e.g. rain, snow or fog or slush or reduced visibility with poor light conditions, backlighting, wet road surface, etc.
The driver should also note that Pilot Assist has the following limitations:
  • High curbs, roadside barriers, temporary obstacles (traffic cones, safety barriers, etc.) are not detected. Alternatively, they may be detected incorrectly as lane markings, with a subsequent risk of contact between the vehicle and such obstacles. The driver is responsible for ensuring that the vehicle maintains a suitable distance from such obstacles.
  • The camera and radar sensors do not have the capacity to detect all oncoming objects and obstacles in traffic environments, e.g. potholes, stationary obstacles or objects that completely or partially block the route.
  • Pilot Assist does not "see" pedestrians, animals, etc.
  • The steering assistance is limited in force, which means that Pilot Assist cannot always help the driver to steer and keep the vehicle within the lane.
  • In vehicles equipped with Sensus Navigation*, the function is able to use information from map data, which could cause variations in performance.
  • Pilot Assist will be switched off if the speed-dependent power steering wheel resistance is working at reduced power, e.g. during cooling due to overheating.

 Warning

Pilot Assist should only be used if there are clear lane lines painted on each side of the lane. All other use will increase the risk of contact with nearby obstacles that cannot be detected by the functions.

 Warning

  • This is not a collision avoidance system. The driver is always responsible and must intervene if the system fails to detect a vehicle ahead.
  • The function does not brake for people or animals and does not brake for small vehicles, such as bikes and motorcycles. Similarly, it does not brake for low trailers, oncoming, slow-moving or stationary vehicles and objects.
  • Do not use the function in demanding situations, such as in city traffic, at intersections, on slippery surfaces, with a lot of water or slush on the road, in heavy rain/snow, in poor visibility, on winding roads, or on on/off ramps.
  1. * Option/accessory.
  2. 1 Depending on market, this function can be either standard or optional.