For my friend Gibby – World-First Cyclist Detection
A very interesting fellow. Gibby has an energy level that 20-year-old folks would love to have. He loves being outdoors and is an avid cyclist. I mean avid. A short morning ride for him is 50-60 miles and he wants me to join him and his friends – yeah right. Anyway, a couple of weeks ago he was run off the road by a car. He is okay, nothing broken, just a couple of bruises. The problem was some kids were trying to do him harm! Many years ago, I used to ride my 10-speed to work at Volvo. One late afternoon an elderly lady hit me. She totaled my bike and I ended up on her hood. No injuries though. The problem is people cannot see everything.
Today, we announced another refinement to our Pedestrian Detection System with Full Auto Brake. Besides other cars, people and large animals, now we have added technology to identify people riding bicycles and apply full auto braking.
Here’s how it works:
And here are more details about this feature:
Volvo Car Group reveals world-first Cyclist Detection with full auto brake in Geneva
Doug Speck, Senior Vice President Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Car Group, literally rolled out another Volvo world first in automotive safety at a press conference at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show on Tuesday. He introduced the groundbreaking safety feature – a technology that detects and automatically brakes for cyclists swerving out in front of the car – by entering the stage on a bicycle.
The new functionality is an enhancement of the present detection and auto brake technology, and the package will be called Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake. All cars equipped with pedestrian detection will also incorporate cyclist detection.
“As the leader in automotive safety, we have been first in the industry with all detection and auto brake technologies, from the first-generation brake support in 2006 to pedestrian detection with full auto brake in 2010,” said Doug Speck.
Counteracts accidents
According to accident data, about 50 per cent of all cyclists killed in European traffic have collided with a car – a number that is counteracted by Volvo Cars’ new Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection technology.
New advanced software, including more rapid vision processing, has made it possible to extend the present detection and auto brake technology to cover also certain cyclist situations.
“Our solutions for avoiding collisions with unprotected road users are unique in the industry. By covering more and more objects and situations, we reinforce our world-leading position within automotive safety. We keep moving towards our long-term vision to design cars that do not crash,” said Doug Speck.
Automatic braking
A cyclist in the same lane swerving out in front of the car is one incident type that is addressed by the Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake, which will be available in the Volvo S60, XC60, XC70 and S80 models in 2013.
The advanced sensor system scans the area ahead. If a cyclist heading in the same direction as the car suddenly swerves out in front of the car as it approaches from behind and a collision is imminent, there is an instant warning and full braking power is applied.
The car’s speed has considerable importance for the outcome of an accident. A lower speed of impact means that the risk of serious injury is significantly reduced.
Combining camera and radar
Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection with full auto brake consists of a radar unit integrated into the car’s grille, a camera fitted in front of the interior rear-view mirror and a central control unit. The radar’s task is to detect objects in front of the car and to determine the distance to them. The camera determines the type of the objects. Thanks to the dual-mode radar’s wide field of vision, pedestrians and cyclists can be detected early on. The high-resolution camera makes it possible to spot the moving pattern of pedestrians and cyclists. The central control unit continuously monitors and evaluates the traffic situation.
The auto brake system requires both the radar and the camera to confirm the object. With the advanced sensor technology, it is then possible to apply full braking power immediately when necessary. The technology also covers vehicles driving in the same lane.
I know other car companies are now offering Pedestrian Detection Systems, but once again we are unique in pursuing safety features that keep us on track for our Vision 2020 project: By 2020, nobody shall be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo. As mentioned before, there is no one complete technology solution but there is one belief that we can do it, one technology at a time.
So to Gibby and friends who cycle around our country, we are helping to make the roads a tad bit safer with this new feature. 
dan
3 Comments
support my volvo
Hi,
I am the Legal Specialist for the League of American Bicyclists. I am very interested in learning more about Volvo’s research and thoughts on how technology may affect motorist-bicyclists interactions. This technology looks great and it would be great to have a dialogue about motorist-bicyclist safety as new technologies emerge.
Thanks for the post,
Ken
Hi Ken,
Jawanza Keita, our Technology & Product Communications Manager, will get back to you on what we are doing with accidents. Basically it is a long story going back to our start in 1927.
What I think is important is how we look at safety. Sure, many years ago technology was done in huge lumps. Like 3-point seat belts, like ABS, and energy absorption structures. Today we believe that after the lump the key is refinements.
Much like ABS lead to traction control that lead to AWD system, that could refine torque being delivered to each wheel, what we are doing with Bicycle Detection with Full Auto Braking is taking our lump system Pedestrian Detection with Full Auto Braking and adding software and components to detect smaller people, then bicycle sensing element, and in the near future large animal sensing. And within each element, as needed, we will do further refinements/enhancements.
Overall, our goal is to have no deaths or life threatening injuries in and around our cars by year 2020. Pedestrian system is about those outside our car, as is Blind Spot, Adaptive Cruise Control, to mention a few. If you will a kind of cocoon of protection.
Jawanza will get to you, I know he is buried with up coming New York Auto Show so might be in a few weeks but he will call you.
dan