Volvo has made it its mission to become the top automotive brand when it comes to safety, and has been rolling out plans to support that goal in recent weeks.
Early this month, the automaker announced that it would redevelop its vehicles in a way that would scale back their top speed — cutting models in all markets down to 112 miles per hour maximum, because, the company said, “Too many people get seriously injured or even killed because of excessive speeding.”
But Volvo’s ambitions don’t end there; two news announcements add some new angles. First, Volvo has introduced the orange “Care Key,” a speed-setting device that will come standard on all Volvos in 2021. The idea is that parents can use the orange key to set a limit on the vehicle’s speed before sending their teenage driver out on the open road. The company also hopes there could be future implications for insurance premiums, as this could help less experienced drivers avoid the lure of high speeds, thus improving safety.
Volvo also plans to integrate in-car driver-monitoring devices in its new vehicles. Aside from speeding, the company says that distraction and intoxication are the other two main variables that contribute to accidents. Volvo isn’t saying where the system will be located, but its general design uses cameras to monitor for dangerous behavior from drivers. These might include slow reaction times, weaving, and even closed eyes. If the vehicle determines that it is not being operated in a safe way, it “may intervene” by slowing down or even calling Volvo’s “on-call” service — and perhaps even parking the car.
Altogether, these new features are part of what Volvo is calling its “Vision 2020,” a bold endeavor to reduce “the number of people that die or are seriously injured in road traffic accidents to zero.”