According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and
the related Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), collision avoidance
technologies in new automobiles are working well. The study reveals that City
Safety, Volvo’s low-speed collision avoidance system, included in S60 and XC60
models, has decreased the number of insurance claims related to car crashes
among Volvo owners. S60 owners filed claims under property damage liability
coverage 16% less often than owners of other midsize luxury cars. Likewise, for
the XC60, property damage liability claims were filed 15% less often and
collision claims were filed 20% less often than for other midsize luxury SUVs.
City Safety works by using a light detection and ranging
sensor built into the windshield to detect a stopped or significantly slower
vehicle ahead. Before a collision occurs, the system precharges the brakes, and
if the driver does not react, the system independently applies the brakes
immediately before impact.
Forward collision avoidance systems vary slightly in
performance and method from one automaker to another. While some systems alert
drivers before applying brakes to avoid a collision, City Safety does not.
Other systems simply warn drivers of an imminent crash without including an
autonomous braking system. According to HLDI, some autonomous braking systems
are capable of preventing crashes depending on the speed at which the car is
moving while others can only lessen the impact of a collision.
Cars that provide forward collision avoidance systems
include:
- Volvo S60 and XC60
- Acura ZDX
- BMW 760i
- Honda Crosstour 4-wheel-drive
- Toyota Land Cruiser
- Mercedes G-Class
- Subaru Legacy and Outback (optional)
Find the complete study here.
