2013 Volvo V40 gets airbags on outside to protect pedestrians that don’t look both ways before crossing

Volvo is adding new safety technology to its already advanced systems for the new V40, making it the safest model the brand has to offer, so far.

The most notable of all the new technology that Volvo is adding to the V40 is the new Pedestrian Airbag Technology, the first ever of its kind. In the event of an unavoidable collision with a pedestrian, sensors in the front of the car will recognize the pedestrian contact, then deploy an airbag from between where the dash and the hood meet. The airbag will span the lower third of the windshield, and higher along the A column, designed to reduce the severity of the injury the pedestrian would experience.

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Park Assist Pilot was designed to assist drivers with parallel parking, leaving the driver to deal with the speed as it controls the steering. Working with ultrasonic sensors, the system uses a minimum of 1.2 car lengths in space to park the car, and gives the driver a series of alerts to get the vehicle safely in the spot.

Check out our original post on the 2013 Volvo V40.

Lane Keeping Aid is another new technology that concentrates on aiding the distracted driver with cameras that monitor left and right lane markings and takes over if the vehicle begins to drift. The steering wheel will either move or vibrate to alert the driver of any danger.

A radar based system called the Enhanced Blind Spot Information System watches driver’s blind spots for them, and alerts when another vehicle is there with a glowing light. The Volvo’s cruise control will also alert drivers when in dangerous proximity to another, and paces the car accordingly. Additional systems include Driver Alert Control, City Safety, Collision Warning with Auto Brake, and a new knee airbag.

Check out the videos after the jump.

Refresher: The 2013 Volvo V40 will be available with the company first diesel engine and a turbocharged T5 gasoline engine making 254-hp allowing it to go from 0 to 62 mph in 6.7 seconds. All models feature start-stop and braking energy regeneration, wether or not they have a manual or automatic gearbox.

2012 Geneva Motor Show

All Photos Copyright egmCarTech © Omar Rana.

– By: Alexandra Koken