Volvo Shows Off New Safety Tech
Volvo debuts two new futuristic safety features.
We road test Volvo's all-new S80 to check out its two new high-tech safety features -- the world's first blind spot detection device and an advance braking warning system
When we were asked to test out Volvo's new S80 in the Nevada desert outside Las Vegas, we didn't realize we'd experience the world's first blind spot information system (BLIS).
We are happy to report that the not-so-futuristic BLIS system works amazingly well at detecting vehicles (even motorcycles!) in those oh-so-scary blind spots and is just one of Volvo's cool new safety features.(Cameras near the outside mirrors detect vehicles that might be in a blind spot and relay the information to the driver.)
First off, the S80 is not what you might expect from Volvo. The curvy and classy exterior styling competes well with other major luxury sedans like Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar.
The interior -- with its real wood accents, comfortable leather seats and minimalist Scandinavian design -- is also pleasing to the eye and well-designed for both comfort and drivability. The S80's standard interior tech amenities are numerous: a high performance sound system with 6-disc in-dash CD player, auxiliary input, MP3 capability and a 160-watt amplifier with eight speakers.
Engine power, however, is quite lacking in the S80's 235 hp inline six-cylinder version, which we found to be quite sluggish on the winding hills and valleys around Lake Las Vegas in up into the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
At Overton Beach -- near the intersection of Highways 167 and 169 -- we switched cars and drove the V8 model through Valley of Fire State Park. Here, the S80's 311 hp V8 AWD engine roared through canyons filled with giant red rocks that look like they were dropped from the sky by aliens. But can the S80 compete with other European luxury sedans? Only the V8 version is capable of such a claim.
Then, our S80 caravan stopped at the Las Vegas Speedway to test out Volvo's new advance braking system right on the drag racing asphalt. There, we tested out the braking system in a rather unusual demonstration. With a plastic bag in front of our car, we were taken through a series of braking maneuvers.
The system alerts the driver of an impending collision and applies full brake for if needed. We found the alert system to be extremely helpful in possible collision situations.
Heading back to the Las Vegas Strip and the luxurious Signature at MGM Grand, we ended our 76-mile journey with a new respect for Volvo, its S80 and how technology is keeping drivers and passengers more safe all the time.
