We all know that ‘Volvo’ and ‘safety’ go hand-in-hand – it’s been the cornerstone of their philosophy from the beginning, and the association has become so strong that it’s almost a cliché. The new S60 model therefore had a lot to live up to – but needed to show innovation at the same time.
First things first – it’s a good-looking car. The concept design was inspired by a ‘flowing racetrack’ and this can be seen in the lines of the smooth leather interior.
Volvo claim that the car is so beautiful, its safety system was developed to protect stunned onlookers. But it’s really all about protecting the driver and avoiding those silly accidents that can happen when concentration falters.
There’s City Safety, designed to avoid low-speed rear-end collisions – the S60 slams on the brakes when it gets too close to the car in front.
Lasers, cameras and radars work together to detect and warn against pedestrians in the car’s path; the system even lets you know when you’re straying from your lane or making uncharacteristic, jerky movements when driving – just in case you’re falling asleep at the wheel.
It also keeps an eye out for anything in your blindspot, has eyes in the back of its head for when you’re reversing, and peeks around corners when parking or exiting a narrow lane.
Intuitive and protective, but stylish as well – the Volvo S60 takes safety to another level, but it’s more like someone cool and well-dressed giving you a big hug than a tut-tutting mother telling you to slow down.
Volvo
volvocars.com