Why Volvo says the EX90 is the safest ever

Volvo EX90 with Lidar in the roof.

Sixteen ultrasonic sensors, eight cameras, five radar systems and a very striking lidar on the roof: the Volvo EX90 certainly does not joke about safety. According to Volvo, all those systems create an invisible shield around the car, which makes it almost clever to get involved in a serious accident. The lidar, a kind of radar that works with reflected laser signals, can detect obstacles and other hazards up to 250 meters away, even in pitch darkness or against bright backlight.

Nio has something similar to the Volvo EX90

Impressive, certainly, although the Chinese Nio has something similar. Cars of other brands are also increasingly capable of anticipating accidents properly, maintaining a healthy distance from the vehicle in front, fully automatically remaining in the middle of the lane and achieving an almost perfect score in the Euro NCAP crash tests. This raises the question: can Volvo still distinguish itself in the field of safety? And does it do that at all or is that image mainly the result of a good marketing policy?

No one more seriously injured or died in a Volvo

The ambitions of the Swedes certainly do not lie. The brand is only satisfied when no one is seriously injured or dies on board a new Volvo. Thomas Broberg does not have exact figures on how many people are still seriously injured in a Volvo. However, the Senior Technical Advisor of Volvo’s Safety Center in Gothenburg does not doubt for a second that Volvo has and can maintain a head start in the field of safety. “First of all: I am very happy that other brands also make very safe cars. That is ultimately the goal: to make the world a safer place. Nevertheless, Volvo is and remains a forerunner. We have been actively researching real, realistic scenarios for years and therefore know better than anyone where the risks lie.” That is also bearing fruit, says Broberg. “Just look at how many safety innovations come out of the Volvo stable, even though we are a relatively small brand.”

Even in the dark, the car must be able to see 250 meters ahead.

EX90 weighs 2,818 kilograms

Although the EX90 pays a lot of attention to preventing accidents, the car must of course also offer protection if things do go wrong. The SUV has yet to be put against the wall by Euro NCAP, but will undoubtedly be very successful there. According to Broberg, the occupants are all well protected, even if they are in the third row. All that protection comes at a price, though: weight. The fully electric EX90 weighs no less than 2,818 kg and that does not feel safe at all for people outside the car. Broberg: “In principle, that is true, but with smart bumper constructions and crumple zones we can compensate for that a long way. Ultimately, safety also remains a theme full of compromises, because that weight helps safety, but can indeed also be a disadvantage. This also applies to a low center of gravity, such as an electric car has. That provides more stability, but if things go wrong, things go faster and the misery is therefore greater.”

With ‘Occupant Sensing’, Volvos will now keep an eye on whether people or animals are unintentionally left behind in the car.

Elsa Eugensson confirms that Volvo’s safety lead is at the heart of the brand’s knowledge of the subject. As a Senior Program Manager in the department responsible for driving assistance systems, she bears a high degree of responsibility for all those cameras and sensors. However, interpreting the data requires knowledge and research. “It’s not about the sensors, it’s about what you do with them,” she says. A concrete example of what Volvo does with sensors is the series of sensors that from now on monitor in every new model whether there are still occupants on board. Volvo noted that leaving children behind still too often leads to dangerous situations and even deaths. That’s why every new Volvo asks for extra confirmation if an attempt is made to lock the car while someone is still on board. In that case, the climate control will also always remain on to prevent excessive heat or cold.

The car keeps an eye on the driver, but above all tries to interpret the information gathered as accurately as possible.

EX90 also monitors driver eye movements

Eugensson knows better than anyone that safety is not only about the car, but also about the driver. “Distraction is the biggest cause of accidents. That’s why the EX90 not only keeps a close eye on its surroundings, but also on the driver. Everything is monitored, from eye movements to head position. This way the system can see whether the driver is tired or distracted.” That is also not completely new, but according to Volvo, it will go to the next phase with this model. For example, the EX90 can reactivate a deactivated lane assist if the driver is not alert enough to keep things in line. In practice, this kind of help often leads to irritation due to false warnings. According to Eugensson, reducing those annoyances has been one of the goals in refining those systems. “If the car knows you’re sharp, it warns of an approaching danger later than if you’re distracted.”

Self-driving car depends on legislation

Is there also an aim to completely sideline the driver, by letting the car drive completely independently? Yes, but with caveats: “We will continue to develop that technology, for which the hardware is already present in the EX90. When the self-driving car will actually arrive depends mainly on the legislation.” Broberg has to smile when we say that we often turn off the lane assistants. “I understand that too, but the goal of our development is precisely that those systems work so well and recognize the circumstances so well that they are no longer activated. Then there is no more irritation and you always have maximum protection.”