A driver of a Volvo XC60 was attempting to demonstrate Volvo’s Pedestrian Detection Functionality which is designed to stop automatically if the vehicle detects the car is not slowing down. If equipped the Pedestrian Detection Functionality will not hurt anyone in front of the car and will prevent the vehicle from hitting an object.
A Spanish language website called recently posted this video of a Volvo owner who thought that the car would stop before it hit anyone. Well, needless to say if everything had gone to plan we wouldn’t be writing about it.
Volvo Driver demonstrates Pedestrian Detection Functionality
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8nnhUCtcO8
As you can see from the video the driver runs right into two people standing in front of the car. The person filming drops his smartphone to go help. We aren’t sure if the people needed to go to the hospital or how injured they were.
The video has garnered a lot of publicity over the past few days and the video has gone viral since being posted on May 19th. Much to Volvo executives dismay. The official word from Volvo is that this obviously is not the fault of the Volvo XC60 or it’s technology but the driver not understanding what features the car was equipped with. Volvo made it clear that Pedestrian Detection Functionality is an optional upgrade and that the driver was not testing “self-parking” as some news outlets reported.
What are your thoughts about this unfortunate pedestrian test? Do you think that Volvo and other automakers are somewhat responsible? They hype and advertise new safety technology but are non-car people supposed to understand these safety features are optional upgrades?
