Late last week, Volvo teased the new XC90 successor. The new electric flagship SUV will be built in America, and Volvo's CEO, Jim Rowan, showed off some new safety tech that the EX90 will feature. That included clever features that'll measure your gaze and concentration while on the road, as well as LiDAR capable of spotting pedestrians from over 800 feet away.
Volvo has now revealed another piece of tech described as "a world-first interior radar system" that makes sure no one gets left in the car. Carmakers have rallied to address this problem in the past but Volvo's solution appears to be the most sophisticated yet.
Volvo says it'll debut on the new EX90 (the name of the electric Volvo XC90), and that the system is designed to help address the cause of a "terrible tragedy." According to US government statistics, 900+ children in the US have died after being left in hot cars by their parents or guardians since 1998. Volvo is hoping the new, more advanced, occupancy system will address that issue.
The system is designed to be so accurate and so sensitive that it'll detect all but the smallest of movements. Volvo uses the example of the "barely discernible breathing movements of a sleeping child," saying the system will work down to a sub-millimeter scale.
You won't need to pony up for this system- at least not in the EX90- as it'll be standard. However, Volvo is fighting the regulations here. These are long, complicated things, and Volvo says that in some countries the interior radar system isn't approved for use yet. However, once Volvo has gotten past the red tape, the feature will begin to appear in other models as well.
"No one chooses to be distracted or tired, but we know it can happen," says Lotta Jakobsson, Volvo's senior technical specialist in injury prevention. "We're all human and distraction is a fact of life. With the help of cutting-edge technology, we'll support you when you're not at your best and help you avoid leaving family members or pets behind by accident."
The system works via sensors integrated into the overhead console. They're also present in the overhead reading lights and in the trunk of the car. Volvo says that this combination should be enough to cover just about every surface of the car. Volvo says that the car will notify you only when you need it. As such, you'll get a reminder when you go to lock the car.
Once you do, the radar system is activated and determines if the car is truly empty before you can lock it. If it finds someone inside, the car stays unlocked and will tell you as much on the center screen. You'll be able to leave the climate control on if you want an occupant to wait in the car, much like with Rivian's Pet Comfort Mode. The new EX90 is set to debut on November 9.
