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.
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| Volvo’s new City Safety system is included on every XC60. |