Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[VIDEO: Next-gen Volvo S60 takes Active Safety to next level with people sensing?]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/09/video-next-gen-volvo-s60-takes-active-safety-to-next-level-with/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/09/video-next-gen-volvo-s60-takes-active-safety-to-next-level-with/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/09/video-next-gen-volvo-s60-takes-active-safety-to-next-level-with/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above to view video after the jump

For decades now, Volvo has been staking its claim in the automotive landscape by being the safety brand. And honestly, that's smart marketing. When a family (especially a young family) goes car shopping and safety is high on their list of concerns, tying your product to their desire to see their children live is a good way to move metal. Problem is, the car world has changed considerably since Volvo first started making bones about being four-wheeled life preservers 25 years ago. All cars are pretty safe these days. Some are even safer than Volvos. So how do you stand out from the pack? Keep innovating.

Which is precisely what Volvo's doing with their new City Safety system. Essentially, using some fairly sophisticated radar technology (see above) Volvo is able to pick out pedestrians from other objects like cars and trees. Nifty, huh? And quite similar (and ironic) to how the the Terminator viewed his surroundings. Sadly, it would seem when the system encounters a mother pushing a baby carriage, it identifies the mother as more important. Though that's probably win-win as long as the car doesn't hit either. Point is, should the Volvo get too close to a human, on clamp the brakes for a full, computer-controlled stop.

This radar tech is actually very closely related to the system Ford is using for active cruise control, blind spot warning and parking lot avoidance alerts on the new 2010 Taurus (which, coincidentally, is based on a Volvo platform). We got to see a behind the scenes peak at the Taurus's radar system on the launch and what you're looking at is essentially what Ford showed us, though cranked up a notch. There's a video of the next S60 running the system after the jump, as well as a machine-translated story explaining it all (kinda). Tip of the hard hat to Joakim.

[Source: Teknikensvarld]

Continue reading VIDEO: Next-gen Volvo S60 takes Active Safety to next level with people sensing?

VIDEO: Next-gen Volvo S60 takes Active Safety to next level with people sensing? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>active safetyActiveSafetyauto stopAutoStopCity SafetyCitySafetyFord TaurusFordTaurusRadarVolvoVolvo City SafetyVolvoCitySafetyFri, 09 Oct 2009 18:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19190885/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/10/09/video-next-gen-volvo-s60-takes-active-safety-to-next-level-with/19190885/article-detail.xml 19190885 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/volvohud_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/10/volvohud.jpg <![CDATA[BMW working on system that stops vehicles during a medical emergency]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/05/bmw-working-on-system-that-stops-vehicles-during-a-medical-emerg/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/05/bmw-working-on-system-that-stops-vehicles-during-a-medical-emerg/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/05/bmw-working-on-system-that-stops-vehicles-during-a-medical-emerg/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Senior citizens who are at heightened risk for heart attack and strokes or those with diabetes often stop driving to keep both themselves and other motorists safe in the event that they have a medical issue while behind the wheel. Others ignore the risk factors and continue to drive until something happens to themselves or others, while still others often suffer completely unforeseen medical events. Regardless of whether you are young or old, sick or healthy, BMW is working on a new safety system called Emergency Stop Assistant which will safely bring one's vehicle to a stop during a medical calamity.

According to BMW, its new experimental system will sense medical dangers for the driver. When a serious medical issue is detected, the system will switch over to an autonomous driving mode to safely stop the vehicle out of harm's way. The system is currently in development, and it promises to turn on the hazard lights, utilize radar tech to navigate the Bimmer through traffic, then slow the vehicle to a stop once it finds the shoulder. BMW's existing Extended Emergency Call system would then call emergency services and provide the location of the vehicle. The system, if brought to production, could save lives while also giving those with medical issues peace of mind.

BMW is testing its Emergency Stop Assistant system as part of Smart Senior, a project launched by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in Germany. Official press release after the jump.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading BMW working on system that stops vehicles during a medical emergency

BMW working on system that stops vehicles during a medical emergency originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>auto stopAutoStopbimmerbmwextended emergency callExtendedEmergencyCallmedical riskMedicalRisksafetyFri, 05 Jun 2009 16:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19058965/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2009/06/05/bmw-working-on-system-that-stops-vehicles-during-a-medical-emerg/19058965/article-detail.xml 19058965 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/06/bmw-x5-passout-emergency-580_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/06/bmw-x5-passout-emergency-580.jpg <![CDATA[Japan's Subarus get Stereoscopic Vision]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/japans-subarus-get-stereoscopic-vision/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/japans-subarus-get-stereoscopic-vision/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/09/04/japans-subarus-get-stereoscopic-vision/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Both Honda and Toyota have been toying with laser-based Active Cruise Control systems for over a decade now, while the German luxury car makers have offered more expensive radar-based gizmos for almost as long. The premise of both is that an electronic copilot keeps an eye on the road ahead maintaining a safe distance from the car in front, even slamming the brakes at the last moment in an emergency should the driver fail to react.

Continue reading Japan's Subarus get Stereoscopic Vision

Japan's Subarus get Stereoscopic Vision originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Sep 2008 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>active cruise controlActiveCruiseControlauto stopautonomous cruise controlAutonomousCruiseControlAutoStopeyesightjdmsubaruThu, 04 Sep 2008 09:28:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1301428/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/09/04/japans-subarus-get-stereoscopic-vision/1301428/article-detail.xml 1301428 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/eyesight450_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/09/eyesight450.jpg -1 2