The new Volvo XC60 alerts drivers when they unintentionally leave their lane, when there's a car in their blind-spot and even if a rear-end collision is probable. It'll also jam on the brakes and stop just before rear-ending another vehicle at low speeds.
Yes, you read that last fact correctly. It’s part of Volvo’s new City Safety system, which is included on every XC60. Among other things, it makes this crossover the world's first-ever vehicle with standard equipment that can prevent a low-speed collision with no driver involvement.
Very amazing and clever stuff-- but plenty of drivers aren't overly sold on the idea of such driving aids. Your writer is one of them. Sure, safety features like these can be a good thing in some hands, though they'll undoubtedly create less of an incentive for attentive driving in others.
Driver Alert Control
It had been a weekend on the beach with some friends. Too much sun, not enough sleep, and all that. The mini-vacation would conclude with a 6-hour drive from Waterloo to Sudbury in the XC60. The trek up highway 69 is a weekly routine for this correspondent, and drowsiness can hit hard on days like this.
The XC60 has a 'Driver Alertness' meter that tells you how alert it thinks you are with a five-bar scale. Initially, I had dismissed the offensive gauge as a gimmick, and not paid much attention to it.
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| The new Volvo XC60 alerts drivers when they unintentionally leave their lane. |
Yes, you read that last fact correctly. It’s part of Volvo’s new City Safety system, which is included on every XC60. Among other things, it makes this crossover the world's first-ever vehicle with standard equipment that can prevent a low-speed collision with no driver involvement.
Very amazing and clever stuff-- but plenty of drivers aren't overly sold on the idea of such driving aids. Your writer is one of them. Sure, safety features like these can be a good thing in some hands, though they'll undoubtedly create less of an incentive for attentive driving in others.
Driver Alert Control
It had been a weekend on the beach with some friends. Too much sun, not enough sleep, and all that. The mini-vacation would conclude with a 6-hour drive from Waterloo to Sudbury in the XC60. The trek up highway 69 is a weekly routine for this correspondent, and drowsiness can hit hard on days like this.
The XC60 has a 'Driver Alertness' meter that tells you how alert it thinks you are with a five-bar scale. Initially, I had dismissed the offensive gauge as a gimmick, and not paid much attention to it.
 |
| Volvo’s new City Safety system is included on every XC60. |