That sickening - not to mention painful - feeling as your car crunches into a vehicle in front looks like becoming just an expensive memory for drivers.
Volvo has come up with a crash-proof family car which will go on sale in the autumn. Its secret is a laser-guidance system to spot vehicles in front that are too close or stopping suddenly. When it does, the Volvo will stop of its own accord to avoid a smash.
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Sci-fi reality: The crash-proof car spots dawdling vehicles using a laser-guidance system installed in the windscreen The CitySafety system, which kicks in at speeds of up to 20klm and is designed for urban driving, has the potential to prevent half of all rear-end collisions, said Volvo.
A laser sensor built into the windscreen reacts to traffic in front that is either stationary or moving in the same direction. It scans up to six yards ahead and, sensing the difference in speed between it and a vehicle in front, it makes 50 calculations a second to determine the braking force needed to avoid crashing.
