New Volvo will detect if its driver has drunk alcohol and slow down if they show signs of being over the limit

Volvo cars will use cameras and sensors to spot if the motorist is drink driving

The Swedish car maker hopes to get the technology into its cars by next year

It will be fitted on all larger models such as the XC90 SUV before smaller cars 

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/

By ELEANOR SHARPLES 

21 March 2019

Volvo is to install technology in cars that can detect if the driver is drunk.

The Swedish carmaker said that from next year all new vehicles will have cameras and sensors to spot if the motorist is showing signs of being over the limit.

Cars will slow down before ringing the Volvo call centre – and the vehicle may even park itself if the driver is unresponsive. The new safety features are part of the manufacturers pledge to eliminate all passenger deaths.

The advanced technology will be fitted on all larger models such as the XC90 SUV before being added to smaller cars in the range. 

As well as detecting whether the motorist is intoxicated, the car will also be able to intervene if the driver appears tired or distracted by checking a mobile phone – one of the biggest factors causing road accidents. 

The carmaker has a reputation for safe driving and was the first to introduce the three-point seatbelt – ones that go across the chest and the waist – in 1959.

Volvo also plans to introduce Care Key, which allows the buyer to set a speed limit for themselves or before lending the car to younger or inexperienced drivers. 

It will be standard on all cars from 2021. The firm’s chief executive Hakan Samuelsson said it was talking to insurers to offer favourable terms to customers who were using the new safety features.

‘If we can encourage and support better behaviour with technology that helps drivers to stay out of trouble, that should logically also have a positive impact on insurance premiums,’ he said. 

It comes after Volvo said last month that it would introduce a 112mph speed limit on all new vehicles.

Mr Samuelsson admitted that while it may put off customers keen on driving at a high speed, it may win over parents who prefer a car with strong safety features. 

Volvo is building a driverless car as it aims to achieve a third of its sales from self-driving cars by 2025.