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The upcoming electric Volvo XC90 comes with LiDAR as standard

This technology makes the SUV capable of Level 3 autonomous driving

Coleman Molnar
Jun 25, 2021  •  June 25, 2021  •  1 minute read  •  Join the conversation
Volvo's upcoming electric XC90 with LiDAR as standard

Volvo, a company renowned for its safety first approach to vehicle production, has announced that its upcoming electric flagship SUV will come standard with a cutting edge suite of sensors and AI computing developed to allow for autonomous driving and to make the car safer over time. 

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LiDAR, which stands for light detection and radar, uses light pulses to remotely measure and sense the area around the vehicle, essentially helping self-driving cars to “see” the world around them. More on how that works here .

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The LiDAR tech developed by Luminar, and paired with an NVIDIA autonomous driving computer, will not only help the next-gen XC90 navigate autonomously (at Level 3!), but also allow it to receive over-the-air updates and essentially “learn” as it ages.  

Volvo explains it like this: “Whereas previous generations of technology largely relied on warning the driver for potential immediate threats, this new safety technology will over time increasingly intervene as needed to prevent collisions.”

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Other brands like Mercedes-Benz and BMW are also developing LiDAR-based products, but have yet to announce it as standard equipment, setting Volvo up for a potential industry first. 

As always, the brand’s goal is to cut down on accidents and fatalities.  “In our ambition to deliver ever safer cars, our long-term aim is to achieve zero collisions and avoid crashes altogether,” said Henrik Green, chief technology officer. “As we improve our safety technology continuously through updates over the air, we expect collisions to become increasingly rare and hope to save more lives.”

The brand says it also anticipates that Volvo owner’s insurance rates will decline as a result of the improved safety.  The new SUV, successor to the XC90, is slated to arrive in 2022. 

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