Volvo announced that it will unveil its new flagship electric vehicle, the EX90 SUV, on Nov. 9. The EX90 is intended to replace the company’s current flagship, the gasoline-powered XC90 SUV, as Volvo transitions to an all-electric car maker by 2030.
The announcement comes after the Swedish automaker teased some interesting features, including long-range LIDAR and onboard sensors to detect when drivers may be distracted or intoxicated. These new technologies, some of which will become standard on vehicles, are designed to enhance Volvo’s safety reputation at a time when the auto industry is relying more on high-powered sensors and artificial intelligence-driven software to prevent fatal traffic collisions.
Volvo said the new electric vehicle will be equipped with the most advanced sensor set on the market, including eight cameras, five radars, 16 ultrasonic sensors and a cutting-edge LIDAR sensor. The LIDAR sensor mounted on the roof of the EX90 will help drivers avoid external obstacles, while two cameras inside the car will monitor the driver’s eye behavior to determine if they are paying attention or even if an obstacle may be present.
Depending on the driver’s attention, the EX90 will be able to take action when needed. If the driver is distracted, the camera will detect it and the vehicle will issue a series of warnings designed to bring attention back to the road. If the driver remains unresponsive, the vehicle will begin to slow down, eventually coming to a complete stop at the side of the road and activating the hazard lights.
Volvo has been talking about using in-car cameras to prevent drunk driving for years, and the automaker previously predicted it would release the technology in 2020. The company has staked much of its reputation on the safety of its premium vehicles, including being one of the first OEMs to implement a 112 mph (180 km/h) speed limit in all of its vehicles. With the release of the EX90 SUV, Volvo hopes to enhance that reputation with a host of new features.
But while LIDAR is ubiquitous in the AV industry, it is less common in passenger cars. Volvo is one of the few automakers to include high-powered sensors, which it says are an essential element in its quest to eliminate traffic fatalities altogether. Volvo says the EX90’s LIDAR has a range of 250 meters and can detect “something as small and black as a tire on a black road 120 meters ahead,” all at high speeds.
The EX90 will also be the first model to be equipped with Ride Pilot, Volvo’s new advanced driver assistance system that will allow the vehicle to drive itself on the highway without driver input. The Ride Pilot system will not require the driver to look at the road when activated, Volvo officials said. The feature will go live in California as a subscription service, pending approval from state regulators.
