Volvo Cars said on Monday it will introduce a 180 km per hour (112 mph) speed limiter on all new vehicles as the Swedish automaker seeks to burnish its safety credentials and meet a pledge to eliminate passenger fatalities by 2020.



While Volvo, whose XC90 flagship SUV currently has a top speed of 212 km/h, has made progress on its so-called “Vision 2020” target of zero deaths or serious injuries, Chief Executive Hakan Samuelsson said it is unlikely to meet the goal without additional measures to address driver behavior.



“We’ve realized that to close the gap we have to focus more on the human factors,” Samuelsson said. Volvo did not elaborate on the data but said its passenger fatalities were already well below the industry average before the goal was announced in 2007.



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In addition to the speed cap, Volvo plans to deploy technology using cameras that monitor the driver’s state and attentiveness to prevent people driving while distracted or intoxicated, two other big factors in accidents, Samuelsson said.



The company is also looking at lower geo-fenced speed limits to slow cars around sensitive pedestrian areas such as schools, while seeking to “start a conversation” among automakers and regulators about how technology can be used to improve safety.



Volvo, which is owned by China’s Geely, announced the new speed limitation policy on the eve of the Geneva auto show, where its new Polestar performance electric-car brand is showcasing its second model, the Polestar 2.



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While Volvo buyers often choose the brand for its safety, Samuelsson conceded that the speed cap could be a turn-off for a few in markets such as Germany, where drivers routinely travel at 200 km/h or more on unrestricted autobahns.



“We cannot please everybody, but we think we will attract new customers,” the CEO said, recalling that the roll-out of three-point seat belts pioneered by Volvo in 1959 had initially been criticized by some as intrusive.



“I think Volvo customers in Germany will appreciate that we’re doing something about safety,” he said. -Reuters



&#8211; Laurence Frost; additional reporting by Esha Vaish

RC123898EC30

Volvo To Limit Car Speeds In Bid For Zero Deaths

Armed with the latest iPads, loaded with sophisticated analytical software, 26 of the country’s top motoring journalists will soon gather at a country hotel outside Johannesburg with a single aim in mind: deciding the South African Car of the Year (COTY) 2018.
It may seem like an insurmountable task to compare the wallet draining German marques with a Japanese or Korean compact costing a fifth of the price – or less. But the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists, which operates on a quasi-military basis when it comes to membership, has had a mountain of experience running this competition since 1986.
From an extensive list of 35 semi-finalists, just 10 models have made the cut and the finalists will be put through their paces with routes and handling tests that weren’t designed by Lewis Hamilton, but rather to emulate the average driver’s capabilities and desires.
The jury will score the mixed band of automobiles on a long list of criteria, from aesthetics to ergonomics, from fuel consumption to environmental friendliness – and most importantly on value for money.
That’s how the modest Opel Astra was able to trump the likes of the majestic Jaguar F-Pace and edge out the Audi A4 by a mere handful of points.
That was after three Porsche victories in a row and the Volvo XC90 scooping the honors with the resultant prestige and sales in COTY 2016.
“By virtually unanimously approving of the Opel Astra, the jury has again proven that experience is the key to the success of the competition,” says Car of the Year convenor Bernard Hellberg Jnr.
“The Astra is a worthy winner of South Africa’s ultimate motoring accolade.”
And it wasn’t for the first time. The Astra 160iS was top of the podium when the Springboks won the World Cup back in 1995.
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In recent years it is the model series, and not specific engine variants, that gets adjudicated and the manufacturers are discouraged from loading their entry with optional extras to impress the panel of motoring journalists.
Just like judging a forward 4.5 somersault in tuck position at the Olympics, radical low and high scores get eradicated to prevent over-enthusiasm or any hint of bias.
So, onwards and upwards to the title aspirants for 2018 and the ranges that you might be tempted to chalk down for your festive season shopping list.
BMW is the most decorated winner in the competition’s history having taken the crown six times.
And the Bavarians are back in the frame with the all-new 5-series.
<div id="attachment_34314" style="width: 509px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-34314" class=" wp-image-34314" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/BMW-5-series-sedan-e1510127440771-300x188.jpg" alt="" width="499" height="313" />The BMW 5 Series sedan (Photo by www.bmw.co.za)</div>
The marketing blurb may wax lyrical about the exterior styling changes with the signature kidney grille being larger and more upright, the headlight elements going from round to hexagonal and the stretched lines with the rear window being steeply raked to give more of a “fastback” appearance.
But, apart from the awe-inspiring i8 and a few other exceptions, BMW have taken the conservative road and you won’t be staggered by the new look.
Which means that you may not feel such a pang of envy if you pull up next to the latest offering in your sixth generation 528i. But when you open the door of the current 5-series you may turn very green indeed. This is where the “Business Athlete” hits the mark in virtually every aspect.
Daniel Mayerle and the design team have done an astounding job with an interior, that is modern and clean-cut without being brash, and controls and infotainment that are cutting edge yet practical.
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There is a disconnect in the premium motoring world when it comes to technology. The trend is to try and lead the race with touch-screen systems that are designed for techies at Elon Musk’s rocket factory yet it is mainly the stone-age.com generation buying the cars.
And BMW have come up with an intuitive system with enough manual overrides so that you don’t have to go through a painful and distracting series of screen options to turn the aircon up!
I tested the two-liter turbofour 530i which is faster, more fuel efficient, emits fewer pollutants and weighs in at a basic price of $62,000.
It may not push your adrenalin to the limit, but will take you to the ton in a shade over six seconds and is smoother than George Clooney sipping a Nespresso.
If you have a penchant for fancy features, you’ve come to the right cabin. How about Gesture Control so that you can just swipe your hand to the left to disconnect a call from the boss or rotate your finger clockwise to raise the radio volume.
And wireless charging for your cellphone by just placing it on the neat pad in front of the gear selector.
The list of options is overwhelming – which makes ordering the right specifications for your new chariot a compelling and possibly expensive exercise.
The Porsche Macan, Cayman and Boxster have all taken the laurels before and now the incredibly roomy four-seater Panamera is in the mix with its controversial rump getting some remarkable aluminium surgery. It is now the complete looker we have come to expect from the Stuttgart stable where the cars are sculpted rather than designed.
And the attention to the rear end is a total disservice to the Porsche team which has been so energetic and visionary in producing a vehicle where virtually only the badge remains the same.
The V-shaped array of controls has been replaced by touch screens which burst into life when you ignite the turbo and it is a bewildering experience getting to know your way around this cyber cockpit. Maybe a prime case of techno overkill?
What I could feel by the seat of my pants is that the Audi-developed 2.9-liter V-6 Turbo, very ably assisted by the new 8-speed gearbox, propels the Panamera 4S to 100km/h in 4.2 seconds.  The series must be a serious challenger.
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Land Rover is yet to take the title as South Africa’s Car of the Year, but the new Discovery, which has shed 400 kilos and has reportedly got astounding off-road ability, may have what it takes to go beyond its rivals in the market.
What the Discovery hasn’t shed is the dollars. With a base price of $72,000 it may battle in the value-for-money stakes.
On the financial front, the Alfa Romeo Giulia is well placed among its obvious rivals in a cash-strapped economy. The base price for the perky two-liter petrol with 8-speed automatic transmission is a touch over $40,000.
Compared to some boring teutonic monikers, the Italian name conjures up images of passion, style and performance and the Giulia doesn’t disappoint in terms of ABS – Adrenalin Boost per Second. After all it is the runner-up in Europe’s Car of the Year.
The winner overseas? The fashionable Peugeot 3008 SUV which is not the first French voiture to strut its stuff on the local COTY catwalk but could be the first to drive away with the prize.
Honda call the CR-V a comfortable runabout vehicle. They have sold more than nine million of them in 150 countries around the world with the more robust and chunky fifth generation set to keep the cash register ticking.
Then there is the futuristically-styled Toyota C-HR which takes crossover sportiness to a new level and undercuts the Honda and Peugeot by a substantial margin.
Toyota won the very first Car of the Year way back in 1986 with the Corolla Twin Cam, and the C-HR leads the charge for the country’s leading automaker.
But heavy competition in the crossover/SUV stakes (along with a bigger dent in the bank balance) comes from the latest Audi Q5. No visually dramatic changes but bigger, lighter and with 10 liters more luggage space.
The pint-sized Suzuki Ignis crossover hits our shores at a quarter of the Q5 price and is practical yet fun to drive with some modern, youthful interior touches. Amazingly it accommodates my lanky two-meter frame with ease!
I’m not sure if the Kia Picanto would do the same, but the third-generation looks set to put some zing into the competition with its “tiger-nose” grille and price tag of under $10,000.
And finally there is the Volvo S90, taking on the likes of BMW, Merc and Audi in the full-size luxury market. Volvo are hoping to complete a hat-trick for the Swedish automaker after are putting a massive capital injection of $11 billion behind the fray.
Now it is down to the motoring jury to tap their iPads at the beginning of 2018 and assess every aspect of the chosen 10. The irony is that none of them will know the final result until the curtain is drawn around the winner of the Car of the Year at the big reveal in March.
Drivers, start your engines…
&#8211; Written by Derek Watts

Who Will Be The Best Of The Best?

The invention of the automobile has gone hand-in-hand with an unfortunate counterpart: accidents. This has been, mainly, due to driver error, rather than mechanical failure, so the objective for some time has been to eliminate this factor and make the daily commute less stressful. Popular culture brought us examples of cars that were capable of driving themselves, Knight Rider’s Knight Industries Three Thousand (KITT) for example, and it seems these once fairy tale visions will soon be realized.
The development of autonomous cars—and we’ll get to why this term is specifically used, rather than “driverless” vehicles—has been built on advances in safety that really started with seemingly innocuous features such as ABS. Here, an on-board computer senses heavy braking and intervenes before the wheels lock up. It’s therefore trying to circumvent human error, which is what autonomous cars do—just on a grander scale.
Volvo introduced its City Safety feature on their XC60 range some years back, which made use of lasers that could sense an impending accident. The technology assisted drivers by applying the brakes, up to 100% if required. The goal has been to use autonomous driving technology for those tedious commutes to work and back where frustration, tiredness, traffic jams and all those other aggravating factors come into play. This led to the development of FROG (Free Ranging On Grid technology); a car with an on-board computer loaded with maps. The vehicle knows where its starting location is and it checks its progress along the way by counting wheel revolutions, and its proximity to electronic beacons.
FROG is already being used for loading cargo as well as in factories, and the intention is to use it for public transportation. In this scenario, passengers go to a stop point and press a button; essentially calling the car as one would an elevator. You’d then get on and disembark at whichever location you’d selected as you would on a bus or train. Naturally, the downfall of the system is that the vehicles only go to predetermined places.
The autonomous cars of our future will make use of a range of technologies including radar, GPS, computer vision and would necessitate that the various systems of the car communicate with each other. Like the human brain, the aim is to take sensory information, interpret it and react in an appropriate manner. Some systems even allow for their maps to be updated as a result of changes to the environment. Once the technology is widespread enough, we could imagine a scenario where cars could “talk” to one another by sending warnings, to those further behind, of forthcoming obstacles.
Numerous car manufacturers have jumped on the autonomous vehicle bandwagon, but perhaps the most innovative leader in the field is not a maker of transportation, but search engine giant Google. The company has made use of retrofitted cars—usually a Toyota Prius or Lexus RX450H—loaded with LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging), rangefinders, cameras and GPS sensors. Each car’s equipment costs in the region of $150,000 and there are usually 10 vehicles on the road at any given time, testing the systems thoroughly. The current expense of such technology is certainly a deterring factor for any prospective users, as polls have already indicated.
With time prices will decrease; in the future drivers may get some form of rebate or financial assistance from insurance companies. Offsetting the initial outlay are numerous benefits such as increased safety, fewer collisions, less congestion therefore increased road capacity, higher speed limits for autonomous cars, alleviation of parking problems—cars could drop us off and find parking far away and come collect us when required—and an increase in fuel efficiency.
Engineer Sebastian Thrun, the co-inventor of Google’s Street View and a director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, started the Google autonomous car project. Extensive testing has taken place and the cars have driven on roads notorious for their choking traffic or dangerous bends, such as San Francisco’s Lombard Street.
Each car is accompanied by a driver, with an unblemished record, and a Google engineer in the passenger seat. In case of emergencies, the cars have an override system in place, which is very similar to those we find on modern cars with cruise control. Only two minor accidents have been recorded during the more than 482,000 kilometers of testing. Google claims that in both instances a person was driving, not the autonomous system and that the last instance was a bumper-bashing where the Google car got rear-ended.
The above begs consideration for two important points, firstly legislature concerning driverless cars and secondly, who is liable in the case of litigation. In all countries, the law presumes that a human adult is driving their vehicle. On March 1, 2012, the state of Nevada was the first to pass a law allowing for the operation of autonomous cars. In September, California and Florida followed suit.
Unsurprisingly, Nevada requires a person to be behind the wheel at all times to take over in emergency situations. License plates for future driverless cars in Nevada will be red and have an infinity symbol on the left-hand side. This of course limits the benefits of such vehicles as intoxicated drivers, minors or the unlicensed still couldn’t operate them.
In terms of the legal repercussions governing autonomous cars involved in accidents, some creative solutions have been put forward. One idea makes use of an example we’d never normally associate with driving: vaccines. The idea is that autonomous cars will be extremely safe but like a vaccine, where there is a tiny chance it could harm the patient, these vehicles could too. When a fatal accident occurs, according to this theory, the family would be compensated by a fund set up for this purpose.
Another school of thought is that the purchasers, not the manufacturers, of such cars take upon themselves the responsibility. This sounds reasonable until we consider that a software bug or mechanical failure could result in jail time or the driver being sued when in essence, he had no control over the situation. The more likely option is that the manufacturer would carry the blame, and costs incurred, should their product be found wanting. That’s a bitter pill to swallow as even if the percentage of defects is 1, this could still translate into extremely expensive lawsuits.
The last option is to spread the responsibility across all driverless car owners. They’d take out a special insurance package and the insurers would be responsible for determining whether the system, manufacturer or driver was at fault. This is still a complicated approach and difficult to implement but it would necessitate that car manufacturers would have to up their game which, in the long run, benefits everyone.
Jim Pisz, head of Toyota’s business strategy in North America, sums it up: “We feel that with autonomous driving, the driver should always be in control. It’s a critical element to our philosophy: autonomous does not mean driverless.”
Guess we won’t be calling KITT on our watch phone to save us from a sticky situation any time soon.

Tag: Volvo

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Volvo To Limit Car Speeds In Bid For Zero Deaths

Who Will Be The Best Of The Best?

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