The trusted voice of the industry
for more than 30 years

Safety in city proves superior

Posted on 04 January, 2015

Volvo’s reputation for safety has been endorsed by the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) introduced test programme, which rates the performance of systems that prevent front-end collisions. The S60 and XC60 secured the highest rating of “superior”, with the marque’s City Safety being the only standard low-speed crash system in the test, which included 74 vehicles. It includes tests on front-to-rear collisions at 20kph and 40kph, with an extra point for vehicles with relevant warning systems. “We welcome rating institutes integrating collision-avoiding technology in tests,” says Thomas Broberg, Volvo’s senior safety adviser. The S60 and XC60 are equipped with City Safety, collision warning with auto-brake and pedestrian detection systems, and were among seven models to be rated “superior” in the new test. Volvo’s low-speed City Safety feature is standard on all new models and most have technologies available that detect, warn and brake automatically to avoid rear ends of other vehicles – and moving pedestrians and cyclists at higher speeds. Steve Kenchington, general manager of Volvo Cars NZ, says: “With City Safety standard on Volvos here, excluding the XC90, we’re showing leadership in dealing with frontal-impact accidents and a broader scope of real-life scenarios, including pedestrian and cyclist detection.” He says the auto-brake system results in fewer accidents and benefits documented by a Highway Loss Data Institute report shows insurance claim frequency dropped by up to 20 per cent. “Since we introduced City Safety in 2009 on the XC60, the system has been a valuable feature for customers with panel damage down in the one-to-four-year car park,” says Kenchington.