Recently announced new vehicle technology will completely understand the driver
Advanced systems on the outside will work with sensors and cameras inside to help keep passengers safe.
The electric replacement for the Volvo XC90 is coming soon. In a video announcement, Volvo CEO Jim Rowan confirmed both the name of the new SUV and the date of its debut. It will be called EX90, and it will be presented in its entirety on November 9. But like every Volvo, there’s more to both than that.
In this first official announcement, Volvo offers a glimpse into some of the safety technologies that will be standard issue on the EX90. It includes a suite of cameras, sensors, lasers and software that monitors both the outside environment and the driver.
“All Volvo EX90s will come with an invisible safety shield, a unique combination of the latest technology, driven by an understanding of the car’s external environment and the driver’s condition inside,” Rowan said.
This concept of understanding is divided into two areas. Outside, the EX90 will use an advanced Lidar system along with 16 ultrasonic sensors, eight cameras and five radars to monitor the environment. Volvo’s onboard software brings it all together, and the automaker claims it’s one of the most advanced systems available. It is capable of detecting non-reflective objects such as a tire on the road at 120 meters and pedestrians at 250 meters, all while traveling at 120 km/h.
The second area comes in, and here perhaps understanding takes on a very different meaning. Multiple sensors and cameras are trained on the driver, monitoring eyes and grip on the wheel, but it’s not just double-checking to make sure eyes are on the road.
Volvo uses its own software to measure the driver’s overall awareness, and if things aren’t normal, the system will alert the driver. If the system detects that the driver is unresponsive, it will stop the EX90 and call for help.
