Volvo XC40 electric vehicle (SUV) which is fully equipped with the latest technology and safety system.
Doha: AI-enabled self-driving is a necessary component to replace human driving and ensure safety of all motorists and reduce distraction, noted a senior official of Volvo Cars at an event.
Volvo recently participated in a webinar on Artificial Intelligence (AI), an initiative by the Embassy of Sweden and Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Qatar (SCCQ) in partnership with Qatar Foundation. Volvo, had its representative Jonas Ekmark from its subsidiary company Zenseact AB (fully owned by Volvo-cars) who spoke at the webinar.
Volvo Cars safety experts believe that technology should be used to support drivers and reduce distraction. The rise of smartphones and touch screens inside cars has sparked a growing debate around the dangers of distraction behind the wheel. But Volvo Cars safety experts say that distraction is a fact of life, and that technology should be used to support people in their daily commute.
The company’s own safety research and behavioral science work suggests that when used correctly, modern technology inside the car can actively reduce distraction, boost road safety and help people to be better and more focused drivers.
It is easy to think that phones and screens are the only scourge of the modern driver, but life as a whole is distracting. Volvo knows people do not get distracted on purpose, but it happens. You could be late for daycare and somewhat stressed. Or you get behind the wheel after a bad day at work. All this affects you as a driver.
Some would say that from a distraction point of view, a car from the 1940s is safer than today’s cars – after all, it does not contain a screen, phone connectivity or even a radio. But that is not how today’s drivers and society operate.
The reality is that people want to engage with friends, family, work and entertainment, and everyone responds differently to distraction. So Volvo wanted to meet its customers where they are, not where they want them to be. That is why Volvo’s focus is on using technology in the right way, so it can used to help customers stay safe behind the wheel.
Volvo Cars actively uses technology to combat the dangers of distraction and build some of the safest cars on the road. For example, its active safety systems with autobrake and steer assist are designed to be on guard to help drivers if they lose concentration or are distracted for a split-second.
Being able to control key features on your Volvo by voice allows you to keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. Active safety systems such as City Safety, Run-off Road Mitigation and Oncoming Lane Mitigation with steer assist can act as an extra pair of eyes watching over you.
Volvo Cars believes that distraction should also be addressed via in-car cameras and other sensors that monitor the driver. With such technologies, if a clearly distracted (or intoxicated) driver does not respond to warning signals and risks a serious, potentially lethal accident, the car could intervene. That intervention could involve limiting the car’s speed, and, as a last resort, actively slowing down and safely parking the car. Volvo Cars plans to start introducing these cameras on the next generation of Volvo’s scalable SPA2 vehicle platform.
In Qatar, Volvo is represented by Domasco, an Al-Futtaim Automotive company and one of the leading players in the passenger and commercial vehicles segment.
