Volvo cars to suggest coffee breaks

The Volvo brand has long been associated with safety, something the company will continue by offering a new range of safety equipment for the S80, XC70, and V70 later this year. Among the changes will be a revised Collision Warning with Auto Brake–which automatically activates the brakes if the driver doesn't react to the warnings–a Lane Departure Warning and Driver Alert Control.

The Driver Alert Control and Lane Departure Warning will be part of the same option package, called the Driver Alert System. Working together, the system detects when the car is veering too much and suggests that the driver should take a break. This technology is a world-first for a passenger car.

"Real life safety is the key to our safety philosophy. When it comes to preventive safety, we have the same approach as when we develop protective systems. In other words that our research and technical development focus on areas where new technology can create significant results in real-life-traffic," says Ingrid Skogsmo, Director of the Volvo Cars Safety Center.

Studies show that up to 90% of all traffic accidents are caused by driver distraction.