Volvo will not abandon its position as one of the world leaders for automotive safety in its quest to almost double production to 800,000 cars a year and be recognised as a more design-driven brand, says CEO Stefan Jacoby.
“Safety is in our genes and we will not give that up,” he promised at the Detroit show.
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Jacoby believes Volvo is in an ideal position to lead the way on the safety of electric vehicles, protection for rear passengers and with advanced systems to minimise the effects of collisions with pedestrians and animals.
“The requirements of Euro NCAP will increase and we will develop new passive and active safety systems,” he said.
“We are in the lead with the safety of EVs (electric vehicles) and are setting the same standards with all kinds of electric vehicles as we are with conventional cars,” he said.
Volvo is now owned by the Chinese company Geely, and this is giving it a unique insight info the demands of Chinese luxury-car buyers, who prefer to be chauffeured rather than drive themselves, says Jacoby. “China will set the standards for rear passenger protection,” he added.
Volvo’s City Safe system has made many low-speed accidents with pedestrians preventable and reduced the effects of those that do happen, and is now working to develop the idea so that collisions with animals can be avoided or made less serious.
“A lot of innovation with active safety can be done with infra-red,” says Jacoby. “We will develop advanced cruise control systems and also better protection in side collisions.”
