One of the most comprehensive scientific studies performed on collision avoidance systems in cars reveals that Volvo Cars’ standard City Safety technology reduces insurance claims for rear-end frontal collisions by 28 percent.
Based on real-life accumulated insurance claims data from the Swedish insurers If and Volvia, the study of City Safety performance conclusively reveals the real-life value of auto braking collision avoidance systems.
The main benefit of City Safety is its ability to reduce the incidence of whiplash and other neck-related injuries caused by low-speed traffic accidents. The secondary benefit to Volvo car drivers is a reduction in accident damage to their cars and the costs that this incurs.
The study is based on robust insurance company data which covers over 160,000 vehicle years in traffic making it unique in the study of collision avoidance systems. Unlike police or emergency response sourced data, insurance company data covers all accidents – regardless of whether people are injured, giving a more holistic overview of the real-life performance of Volvo Cars’ standard City Safety technology.
“Volvo Cars launched its first collision avoidance technology in 2006. City Safety was introduced as standard in all new Volvo car models from 2008. Since then we’ve been monitoring the performance of our collision avoidance systems in Volvo Cars throughout Sweden, where we have a 20 per cent market share. This is a very strong statistical sample to base findings on, as every fifth car on the road in Sweden is a Volvo,” said Magdalena Lindman, Technical Expert, Traffic Safety Data Analysis at Volvo Cars.
The figures from the study show that cars equipped with the first two generations of City Safety (active automatic braking up to 30/50 km/h in certain traffic situations) were involved in 28% fewer accidents and subsequent insurance claims.
Volvo Cars’ City Safety technology also delivers more immediate benefits to Volvo drivers, with insurance companies offering discounts of between 20-25% on insurance premiums on several markets thanks to this innovative technology.
