A Volvo é conhecida por se preocupar primeiro com a segurança dos passageiros - afinal, o XC60 é considerado o carro mais seguro do mundo. Mantendo essa filosofia, a empresa decidiu que, a partir do ano que vem, irá colocar um limitador eletrônico em todos os seus carros, impedindo que eles passem dos 180 km/h.

Segundo a fabricante, esta medida é parte de sua estratégia Vision 2020, que quer fazer com que ninguém morra ou seja gravemente ferido dentro do um carro da Volvo a partir de 2020. Descrito como "uma das visões de segurança mais ambiciosas da indústria automotiva", o Vision 2020 sai do uso de tecnologias e fatores relacionados à construção do veículo para incluir um foco também no comportamento do motorista.

Isso é necessário porque, acima de uma certa velocidade, os equipamentos de segurança não são mais capazes de prevenir ferimentos graves e fatalidades em caso de acidentes. A fabricante estima que cerca de 25% das mortes no trânsito sejam causadas por alta velocidade.

“A Volvo é líder em segurança: sempre fomos e sempre seremos", comenta Hakan Samuelsson, presidente e CEO da empresa. "Por causa de nossa pesquisa, sabemos onde estão os problemas que causam ferimentos graves e fatalidades em nossos carros. Embora a limitação de velocidade não seja uma solução definitiva, é algo que vale a pena fazer se pudermos salvar ao menos uma vida."

Outra medida que a Volvo está investigando é um sistema que combina controle inteligente de velocidade e tecnologia de geolocalização, para automaticamente restringir a velocidade máxima quando estiver em ruas próximas à escolas e hospitais. Além disso, a Volvo também reconhece que intoxicação e distração são outros dois grandes problemas de segurança e planeja apresentar ideias nestes quesitos.

“Nós queremos conversar uma conversa se as fabricantes tem o direito, ou mesmo a obrigação de instalar tecnologias nos carros que mudem o comportamento dos motoristas, resolvendo problemas como excesso de velocidade, intoxicação ou distração", adiciona Samuelsson. "Nós ainda não temos uma resposta para essa pergunta, porém acreditamos que devemos liderar essa discussão e sermos os pioneiros.”

Fonte: Volvo

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Volvo Cars, as a worldwide leader in safety, is sending a strong signal about the dangers of speeding and will limit the top speed on all its cars to 180 kph from 2020.

The company’s Vision 2020, which aims for no one to be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by 2020, is one of the most ambitious safety visions in the automotive industry. But realising that technology alone will not get it all the way to zero, Volvo Cars is now broadening its scope to include a focus on driver behaviour.

Research by Volvo Cars has identified three remaining concerns for safety that constitute so-called ‘gaps’ in its ambition to completely end serious injuries and fatalities in its cars, with speeding a very prominent one.

“Volvo is a leader in safety: we always have been and we always will be,” said Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive. "Because of our research we know where the problem areas are when it comes to ending serious injuries and fatalities in our cars. And while a speed limitation is not a cure-all, it’s worth doing if we can even save one life.”

Apart from limiting top speeds, the company is also investigating how a combination of smart speed control and geofencing technology could automatically limit speeds around schools and hospitals in future.

“We want to start a conversation about whether car makers have the right or maybe even an obligation to install technology in cars that changes their driver´s behaviour, to tackle things like speeding, intoxication or distraction,” said Mr. Samuelsson. “We don’t have a firm answer to this question, but believe we should take leadership in the discussion and be a pioneer.”

The problem with speeding is that above certain speeds, in-car safety technology and smart infrastructure design are no longer enough to avoid severe injuries and fatalities in the event of an accident. That is why speed limits are in place in most western countries, yet speeding remains ubiquitous and one of the most common reasons for fatalities in traffic.

Millions of people still get speeding tickets every year and traffic accident data from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration shows that 25 per cent of all traffic fatalities in the US in 2017 were caused by speeding.

People simply do not recognise the danger involved in speed, says Jan Ivarsson, one of Volvo Cars’ leading safety experts.

“As humans, we all understand the dangers with snakes, spiders and heights. With speeds, not so much,” said Mr Ivarsson. “People often drive too fast in a given traffic situation and have poor speed adaption in relation to that traffic situation and their own capabilities as a driver. We need to support better behaviour and help people realise and understand that speeding is dangerous.”

Beyond speeding, two other problem areas constitute ‘gaps toward zero’. As obvious a problem as speeding (and as difficult to end) is intoxication. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal in large parts of the world, yet it remains a prime reason for injuries and fatalities on today’s roads.

The other area is distraction. Drivers distracted by their mobile phones or otherwise not fully engaged in driving are another major cause of traffic fatailities. In many ways, they are equally dangerous as drunk drivers.

Volvo Cars will present ideas to tackle the problem areas of intoxication and distraction at a special safety event in Gothenburg, Sweden on March 20.

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