Volvo, the 95-year-old Swedish automaker renowned for its commitment to safety, late September announced its all-new EX90 EV will boast a semi-autonomous driver aid with state-of-the-art active safety systems unmatched by rivals. It will feature eight cameras, five radars, 16 ultrasonic sensors, and a cutting-edge LiDAR sensor.
Launching on November 9, 2022, the EX90 will learn its driver’s behaviours by analyzing their habits and patterns and collecting data, while also monitoring traffic and surrounding conditions. The goal is to train the SUV so it can provide the utmost safety for both the driver and others on the road. As the data is accumulated, Volvo says its system will evolve to become smarter and safer as it receives updates.
Advanced cameras, radars, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) work in tandem to create a 360-degree real-time view of the roads. Volvo’s EX90 LiDAR unit will be embedded in the roofline, and eventually become standard fare across the lineup.
How does it work? The system uses light in the form of a pulsed laser to measure ranges with high precision in almost all conditions; this lets it sense small objects hundreds of metres ahead, giving the vehicle more time to inform, act, and avoid danger.
Volvo says its research suggests the software and sensors can help reduce collisions that result in serious
injury or death by up to 20 per cent, and improve overall crash avoidance by up to 9 per cent.
Inside, sensors and cameras are powered by Volvo’s in-house-developed algorithms, which are programmed to identify and evaluate gaze concentration. This enables the EX90 to identify distracted driving, tiredness, and intoxication and, like some current tech already does, give the driver a soft nudge, with intensity increasing if needed. If you become unconscious or fall ill, the EX90 will safely stop and call for help.
A visualization of the Volvo EX90’s exterior sensing technologies Photo by Volvo
Two cameras scan and detect early signals of distraction via eye-gaze patterns that might show the driver isn’t at 100-per-cent alertness. How? It measures how often the driver looks at the road, while allowing for natural variations, and identifies when their eyes are looking elsewhere too often. From looking too little to too much, the system aims to keep everyone on the road safer. Add in a capacitive steering wheel that can sense if there aren’t hands on it, and you’ve yet another way to monitor potential distracted driving.
“Our research shows that by simply observing where the driver is looking and how often and for how long their eyes are closed, we can tell a lot about the state of the driver,” said Emma Tivesten, Senior Technical Expert, Volvo Cars Safety Center.
Although it’s sure to be commonplace in the next few years, the aforementioned tech isn’t standard. Volvo says “once our safety verifications are in place and all necessary approvals have been secured, this Autonomous Drive technology will be introduced in the EX90 and available through subscription.”
Keyword: Volvo's new EX90 all-electric flagship SUV amps up autonomy, safety