If you've ever driven any model from the Volvo lineup, you know that the brand is dedicated to efficiency. Imagine how much more efficient you'd feel driving one if it could take care of say, parking for you on its own while you resume your business? Volvo's put that exact idea to practice that's being demoed.
Volvo's worked on autonomous vehicles, as displayed by its SARTRE (Safe Road Trains for the Environment) project which is years in the making. This new project features a prototype of a V40 which searches for a parking spot after the operator has left the vehicle. As it pulls away, the Volvo responds to the sensors, electronics and controls in the car, effectively avoiding other vehicles, pedestrians, or other objects in its path.
For the ease of the driver, you are alerted with the service is available, and you can use a smart phone to keep the drop-off and pick-up process as easy as possible.
"Our approach is based on the principle that autonomously driven cars must be able to move safely in environments with non-autonomous vehicles and unprotected road users," explains Thomas Broberg, Senior Safety Advisor Volvo Car Group.1
If this news wasn't exciting enough, we also have something to look forward to at the end of 2014. Volvo will be introducing autonomous steering in the next XC90.
Clearly, we have an impressive agenda ahead of us. We'd like to say the same about our lineup here in the Volvo Marin showroom in Corte Madera, CA. We're here to answer any question you may have and set up test drives, so contact us or swing by when you're ready for the Volvo experience.
Source:1http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/21/volvo-demos-smartphone-enabled-self-parking-car-prototype-video/
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