Thursday 1st May 2008

Volvo Planning 'Injury-Proof Car'

Carmaker says it will eliminate deaths and injuries in its cars by 2020

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Crash me if you can

We’re all up for a bit more safety in our cars, but most of us accept that there is only so much you can do in the face of injury or even death.

Volvo however is not happy to merely decrease the chances of injury – it reportedly wants top eliminate injuries and deaths altogether in its vehicles by 2020.

It is the first carmaker in the world to set such a goal and is understood to be interested in making its cars ‘giant bumpers’ for the passengers inside, reports Reuters.

There will be a myriad of other safety features available, including automatic braking.

The injury-proof car (is anyone else having flashbacks to Knight Rider?) will also be able to steer and find out about the road ahead.

The plan is that even in the most serious crash the driver will escape unhurt.

‘I think if you look into the future, we as a community will not accept that we have injuries,’ said Jan Iverson, head of the Volvo safety team.

‘We have other things that are important in life.’

[J111]

is anyone else having flashbacks to Knight Rider?

I was thinking of this:

[Rob_the_Sparky]

I was thinking, what utter headline grabbing rubbish.

[timewatch]

AYE RIGHT ?

Pigs will fly too !.............www.aussiefloyd.com

TW>>>

Edited by timewatch on Thursday 1st May 12:13

[Lead]

So If I buy a Volvo in 2020 and hit a 40 ton truck head on at a closing speed of 80mph I`m going to get out uninjured?. I can already hear the American lawyers laughing!!

[MK4 Slowride]

Also if a car goes into a corner at 60mph say & hit black ice so it starts to slide towards that brick wall 5ft away the car will stop in this distance? Bit late for April fools.

[Mr Whippy]

Good to set targets though.

I think cars could be loads safer than they already are.

Still, I don't think Volvo should be forgetting the need for drivers to take responsibility too. Maybe if they encouraged better driving somehow that would be nice?!

Dave

[CypherP]

hrmm... I don't see why they don't just rubber-coat the exterior and get everyone bouncing off of central reservations..

I hope this means the national speed-limit will become extinct. I mean wheres the fun in an injury-free car crash if youre not driving towards something as fast as you possibly can..

[chunkymonkey71]

So it will brake itself, steer itself out of trouble...

Bet thats in involving driving experience, eh?

[u81922]

Formula 1 drivers escape injury from high speed crashes, so that may be achieved in road cars.

Trouble is, there won't be any oil left by 2020!

[leftfield0800]

Demolition man springs to mind where the whole cabin fills with foam. That would be great!! I think ill crash just to see what it feels like!!

I guess Knight Rider would just turbo boost out of any situation mmm...

[AngryS3Owner]

What a load of arse, so people with volvo's will then drive even worse.

[leftfield0800]

Seriously all this could almost be achieved now. All cars get rally style and spec roll cages, all occupants wear helmets and those neck devices. No more seatbelts just 6-point harnesses for all occupants.
But this won’t happen because we will all start driving like mad men (according to current insurance company thinking)
And
OH MY don’t forget about that dreaded helmet hair!! Totally unacceptable!!

[timewatch]

leftfield0800 said:

Demolition man springs to mind where the whole cabin fills with foam. That would be great!! I think ill crash just to see what it feels like!!

I guess Knight Rider would just turbo boost out of any situation mmm...

I know someone who's car fills with foam !

My mates. The car blew a fuse and the windows stayed down in the car wash, ha ha ha !



TW>>>

[MitchT]

One of the theories I have for the reason behind the ever-deteriorating standard of driving in this country is that as cars become safer and safer drivers reduce the margin for error that they allow themselves to reflect their diminished sense of mortality. I'll be interested to see how Volvo can produce a car that can end up sandwiched between two HGVs without injury to its occupants... or caught-up in a multiple pile-up in which the fuel of some vehicles is spilled causing a huge fire.

[JohnLatham]

Easy to achieve with ejector seats. Wouldn't take 12 years to develop either.

John

[Callan.T89]

I was thinking more along the lines of Stuntman Mikes Car in "DeathProof"...

Seriously though I am currently designing some parts for these cars for Volvo and they are working hard to bring more safety technology to the mass market and not just show them off at motorshows and put them on top end cars to grab headlines.

I do totally dissagree with the "self braking, self Steering" ideas though this will cause driver concentration to drop, you may be O.K in your car but what about the family in the old Escort your V70 just demolished?

[DM112233]

>The plan is that even in the most serious crash the driver will escape unhurt.

wow - I could be just like Stuntman Mike in Deathproof.... only with a Volvo...

--edit

damn ya beat me to it!

Edited by DM112233 on Thursday 1st May 13:32

[Road_Terrorist]

JohnLatham said:

Easy to achieve with ejector seats. Wouldn't take 12 years to develop either.

John

Just dont crash in a tunnel

[JohnLatham]

Road_Terrorist said:

JohnLatham said:

Easy to achieve with ejector seats. Wouldn't take 12 years to develop either.

John

Just dont crash in a tunnel

Not a problem. The requirement as stated is that no-one dies or is injured IN a Volvo. If they happen to die 0.2 seconds after ejecting, that's outside the design criteria.

John
(professional pedant)

[touch]

Dont roll it either