A new SUV feature has been developed to help reduce the risk of children and pets being left in locked vehicles, Volvo has announced today.
The news comes as a new interior radar feature developed by Volvo engineers is designed to be accurate and sensitive enough to detect the tiniest movements at sub-millimetre scale – such as those of a sleeping toddler.
It’s the first such feature to cover the entire interior of the car, including the boot.
The new radar system will be included in the soon to be launched Volvo EX90 all-electric SUV and is designed to help address a cause of terrible tragedy that has proven all too real for too many families.
US government statistics show that since 1998 more than 900 children in the US have died after being left in hot cars. Heartbreakingly, a majority of hot car deaths occur because someone forgot that their child was in the car at the time.
Volvo’s new interior radar system will first be rolled out as standard, where regulation allows, on the Volvo EX90 that will be revealed on 9 November. The feature will also be included in other forthcoming Volvo car models.
Lotta Jakobsson, Volvo’s senior technical specialist in injury prevention, said: “No one chooses to be distracted or tired, but we know it can happen. We’re all human and distraction is a fact of life. With the help of cutting-edge technology, we’ll support you when you’re not at your best and help you avoid leaving family members or pets behind by accident.”
“We’ve always been a leader in safety, and we want to continue protecting lives by setting new standards in automotive safety,” added Ms Jakobsson.
“That also means making you feel safe and giving you peace of mind. That type of emotional safety will help you enjoy life to the fullest, while at the same time helping you to prevent tragedies from happening.”
How does it work?
With sensors integrated in the overhead console, the roof-mounted reading lamps and the boot of the car, the new system is the first that can detect sub-millimetre movement in the entire interior of the car.
To notify you when you need it, and to help avoid ‘reminder fatigue’, Volvo’s experts have determined that the best time to signal the potential presence of family members left inside the car is when you attempt to lock the car.
Every time you try to lock the car, the interior radar system is activated and determines whether your car is empty of any people or pets before it allows the car to be locked.
If a family member or pet is detected inside, the car will remain unlocked and the car will display a reminder to check the cabin for occupants on the centre console screen.
The car’s climate system can remain on if people or animals are detected in the cabin, to improve comfort. This can also help lower the risk of hypothermia or heatstroke.
