Volvo unveils IntelliSafe Auto Pilot technology for autonomous cars

Volvo has set a target date of 2020 for reaching this momentous goal and to achieve it is relying on autonomous vehicle technology.

According to independent statistics, more than 90 per cent of all fatal accidents are believed to be caused by human error, typically due to inattention. Of course there are other benefits of autonomous cars, such as improved traffic flow and efficiency, increased free time, and improved mobility for the elderly and vision impaired.

The world’s second-biggest vehicle maker by sales, Toyota Motor Corp., recently announced plans to make a few of its cars fully capable of self-driving on highways by around 2020.

Volvo is calling its system one of the industry’s “most advanced and easy-to-use” interfaces out there, allowing drivers to seamlessly go from traditional driving to autonomous driving modes. “But any time you want comformation that IntelliSafe Auto Pilot is on top of its game, the information is always right there, right in front of you”.

The system can be activated and deactivated via special paddles on the steering wheel.

Volvo’s upcoming autonomous driving function is called Intellisafe Auto Pilot and it is expected to feature on a hundred XC90 SUVs for its 2017 autonomous driving project entitled, “Drive Me” in Gothenburg, Sweden.

The advent of autonomous driving technology means that the relationship between a driver and a car’s user interface is of crucial significance. Lights on the steering wheel also begin to flash. When the two light strips on the paddles turns to a constant green, the auto pilot system will then notify the driver that the driving and supervision has been passed on to the vehicle.

Drive Me is a broad collaboration of a number of public and private sector participants, including Volvo Cars, the Swedish Transport Administration, the Swedish Transport Agency, Chalmers University, Lindholmen Science Park and the City of Gothenburg.