Ford and Volvo have been working together closely to develop innovative new safety technologies. Many of these technologies are now available for the first time on the all-new Volvo S80, which has been completely redesigned for the 2007 model year and boasts an impressive array of new or upgraded accident avoidance and occupant protection safety systems.
In the accident avoidance area, the S80 contains an entirely new generation of advanced driving and support systems, several of which utilize forward-looking radar and vision sensors. Among these is Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), which helps a driver to maintain distance from the vehicle in front. While primarily a comfort function, Adaptive Cruise Control also contributes to more controlled driving when traffic flow is uneven. The ACC control module is mounted at the front of the vehicle and contains radar to measure the gap and closing speed to the vehicle ahead. The system automatically adapts the speed of the car to help maintain a pre-set distance from the vehicle ahead. Radar-based ACC was a world first when Jaguar, working with Ford Research, launched it on its XKR several years ago.
The S80's Collision Warning with Brake Support system uses a related technology to help avoid rear-end collisions or minimize the effects of those collisions. Again, the area in front of the car is monitored with a radar sensor (the same as that used for Adaptive Cruise Control). If the car approaches another moving vehicle from behind and the driver does not react, a red warning light flashes on the windscreen and an audible signal can be heard. This feature is called Forward Collision Warning, and it may be sufficient for the driver to react and avoid the hazard. If the risk of collision increases despite the warning, Brake Support is activated. The system supports driver-initiated braking by pre-charging the brakes and preparing for panic brake application.
The all-new Volvo S80 is also equipped with the Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) and Intelligent Driver-Information System (IDIS). BLIS uses cameras beside the door mirrors to register if another vehicle is in the blind spot alongside the car. In such a situation, a warning light beside the mirror is activated to alert the driver. IDIS continuously monitors certain functions in the car, such as wheel movements and braking, and blocks distractions such as incoming telephone calls or text messages in critical driving situations.
The S80 also offers Active Bi-Xenon Lights – swiveling headlamps that produce an optimal range of vision when driving in the dark on winding roads. A mini-processor is used to measure and analyze a number of parameters and optimize the light to suit the situation. To save wear on the system, this function is disconnected automatically in daylight.
The S80's brake system includes four new advanced braking functions that interact to ensure the shortest possible braking distance in all situations. These functions include Hydraulic Brake Assist, Optimized Hydraulic Brakes, Ready Alert Brakes and Fading Brake Support. As an example, Ready Alert Brakes can predict rapid braking and place the brake pads against the brake discs even before the driver presses the brake pedal. In doing so, the braking system's reaction time – and braking distance – is shortened.
In a world-first for preventative safety and personal security, the new Volvo S80 works in tandem with the new Personal Car Communicator (PCC) to provide information that could be crucial to the car's owner. With this new pocket-sized control function, the owner can determine – for example when approaching the vehicle on foot in a parking lot – whether the car is locked or unlocked, whether the alarm is activated or not and whether or not someone is in the car. The latter is determined through a highly sensitive heartbeat sensor and an advanced calculation process. The information is accessible and relevant so long as the distance between the PCC and the car is less than 100 meters.
The Volvo S80 also contains a network of interactive protective safety systems that make it one of the very safest cars in its class. For example, the patented front body structure of the new S80 has been divided into zones, each with a different task during the deformation process. The outer zones are responsible for most of the deformation. The closer the collision forces get to the passenger compartment, the less the material deforms. To give each zone the correct properties, four different grades of steel are used.
Also, a new type of side collision air bag makes the Volvo patented Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) into an even more effective safety system. The new side-impact airbags have two separate chambers – one for the hips and one for the chest. As the hips can withstand greater forces than the chest, the lower chamber can be inflated to a pressure up to five times greater than the upper chamber. The side-impact air bags interact with the inflatable curtains and the car body's cross-member structure to offer the most effective protection possible.
The Volvo system for avoiding neck injuries – the Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) – remains one of the most effective on the market. In a serious rear-end collision, the front seat back support and head restraint follow the movement of the body, suppressing the forces in roughly the same way as when catching a ball. In the S80, the WHIPS mechanism has been developed even further, making the "catching" action even more compliant and contributing to even better contact between the head and the head restraint throughout the process.
Protection for pedestrians and cyclists has also been improved in the new Volvo S80. The front of the car has energy-absorbing features, including a well-proportioned soft structure in front of the bumper that helps to counteract the risk of pedestrian leg injuries.
As with other Volvo models, the S80 has a transverse-mounted engine, which gives more room in the engine compartment and contributes to reducing the risk of the engine intruding into the passenger compartment in a frontal collision.
Finally, other safety solutions in the all-new Volvo S80 include safety belt reminders for all five seats; a collapsible steering wheel (which, during deformation, moves horizontally), airbags with a dual-stage function, safety belt pretensioners for all five seats and safety belt force limiters for the front safety belts.
