New Volvos to automatically pull over drink drivers

Volvo is living up to its reputation for manufacturing some of the most reliable and safety-conscious cars on the market with the unveiling of a new on-board gadget that can detect if its driver has had too much to drink and automatically slow or pull over.

A camera monitoring system will be installed in newer model Volvos from 2020.

Volvo revealed on Wednesday that its newer models will use cameras installed inside its vehicles to monitor driver behaviour and intervene if the driver appears to be drunk or distracted.

The cameras will monitor eye movements to gauge a drivers level of intoxication or distraction.

If a driver looks away for a period of time, such as at a smartphone, or fails to keep their hands on the steering wheel, a representative from Volvo’s on-call assistance centres will call them to check in.

Drivers who aren’t watching the road, or have their eyes closed, will also be warned as well, combatting a another issue of driving when over tired.

If the driver fails to respond, the car will automatically slow or even stop.

The system will roll-out to all Volvo cars by early 2020, and follows another announcement by Volvo, that it will be limiting the top speed on all of its vehicles to 180 km/h (112 mph) in a bid to reduce traffic fatalities.

Both measures are part of its Vision 2020 project, which aims to ensure that no one is killed or seriously injured in a Volvo vehicle by 2020.

“When it comes to safety, our aim is to avoid accidents altogether rather than limit the impact when an accident is imminent and unavoidable,” said Henrik Green, senior vice president for research and development at Volvo Car Group. “In this case, cameras will monitor for behaviour that may lead to serious injury or death.”

Volvo is also building a driverless car, in line with its aim to achieve a third of its sales from self-driving cars by 2025.