Volvo has made a shocking pledge:
By 2020, no one will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car or SUV.
This is fantastic, but it still won’t fix “stupid”!
Imagine a car that prevents all deaths! What a wonderful concept! And, it should greatly reduce injuries as well!
In the last 4 years, no one has died in certain models of Volvos, something to be really proud of for sure. I am not promoting any particular brand of car, I am only promoting greater safety for ourselves and our families.
People ask me why I devote so much time and effort to promote safety: “Won’t that put you out of business?”
I answer: “Maybe, and wouldn’t that be a *great* thing!? But, “stupid” will still keep me pretty busy for a long time.”
Why? Because no machine or computer can stop a dumb or distracted driver from being careless as long as the driver has any control over the vehicle.
But, the *real* point of my post here is not just to applaud Volvo and other manufacturers that are striving to make our lives safer, but to point out that there is something very easy that each of us can do *today, tomorrow, and forever*, to make our lives safer:
- slow down,
- pay attention,
- and don’t drive while distracted !!
If we all did these 3 very simple things, every time we got behind the wheel, at no economic cost or expense, with no fancy new technology needed, we’d all be safer beginning today, right now!
Think about it, talk about it, start now, be part of the solution, encourage others to do the same, and PLEASE PUT YOUR SEAT BELT ON!
Here’s a look at the features that, when combined all together in one vehicle, will essentially make it crashproof.
Adaptive Cruise Control: You set a maximum speed and then your car maintains a safe following distance on its own, operating the gas and the brakes for you.
Auto lane keeping assist: Cameras detect lane lines and road edges, and the car steers itself to stay in its lane.
Collision avoidance: Radar, cameras or other sensors detect obstacles ahead and warn the driver. If the driver still doesn’t react, the car can apply the brakes automatically to avoid, or at least reduce, the impact of a crash.
Pedestrian detection: Cameras, including ones that can see in the dark, are programmed to detect human forms that might wander into the path of the car. Drivers can be alerted and again, the car can brake automatically.
Large animal detection: Volvo has created a system that can detect when a big animal is walking in front of your car, saving both you and the absent-minded animal.