Volvo Cars’ new City Safety system, which will debut on the new XC60, has won the Technology category at the Fleet World Honours Awards 2008 in London, its first U.K. award.. Click image to enlarge

Göteborg, Sweden – Volvo Cars’ new City Safety system, which will debut on the new XC60, has won the Technology category at the Fleet World Honours Awards 2008 in London, its first U.K. award.

At speeds of under 30 km/h, City Safety uses laser sensor technology to detect vehicles up to ten metres in front of the car’s front bumper, and reacts to vehicles in front that are either stopped or moving slowly. If the gap between the cars continues to close and the driver remains inactive, the car applies the brakes automatically.

Volvo Car UK is currently involved in a discussion with insurance companies on the possibility of lower insurance premiums for cars equipped with the feature.

“With surveys indicating that 75 per cent of all reported collisions take place at speeds of under 18 mph (29 km/h), and in 50 per cent of these cases the driver has not braked at all before the collision, it’s easy to see the potential City Safety has in reducing incidents of this kind,” said John Wallace, Volvo Car UK’s corporate sales and leasing manager. “As well as these safety benefits, it also offers significant operational improvements, which is good news for businesses, and I am delighted that the judges have recognized this.”