Australian Pedestrians Protected by the Volvo S60

Swedish automaker Volvo will be making its Pedestrian Avoidance Technology (PAT), which can reduce the fatality risk of a pedestrian collision by up to 85%, available to Australians in the new S60 model starting December. During the last decade, 3,449 pedestrians have been killed on Australian roads, so Volvo believes this technology will be appreciated on the local market.

The technology, which is the combination of a radar integrated into the grille and a camera fitted behind the interior rear-view mirror can detect pedestrians from 80cm in height, equivalent to that of a three-year old child.

“Because about half of all pedestrian traffic fatalities don’t involve braking by the driver, crashes often occur at the initial travel speed. Travel speed is critically important to pedestrian safety: some nine out of ten pedestrians struck at 22 mph (30 km/h) will survive,” said Bruce Corben, Senior Research Fellow, Monash Accident Research Centre and pedestrian safety expert.

“At 31 mph (50 km/h), nine out of ten struck pedestrians will die. In-vehicle technologies that can detect pedestrians ahead, activate braking earlier and so shorten vehicle stopping distances, show considerable promise, not only in avoiding collisions but, by reducing injury risk through lower impact speeds when collisions do occur.”

Volvo’s PAT can reportedly avoid a collision with a pedestrian at speeds of up to 22 mph (35 km/h) if the driver does not react in time. At higher speeds, the focus is on slowing down the car as much as possible prior to the impact. A lower speed of impact means that the risk of a serious injury is significantly reduced.

"Volvo’s next challenge is fulfilling its commitment to its Mobility 2020 vision, which states that no person will be seriously injured or fatally injured in or by a Volvo by the year 202," a company statement reads.