The Volvo S60 and XC60 have both been rated ‘superior’ – the highest possible rating – in the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) new test programme that rates the performance of front crash prevention systems.

The S60 and XC60 are equipped with City Safety and Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection.

They were among seven models that got a ‘Superior' rating in the new test.

However, Volvo Cars' City Safety was the only standard fitment low-speed crash prevention system in the test of 74 vehicles.

Thomas Broberg, senior safety advisor at Volvo Car Group, said: "We welcome that the major rating institutes now begin to integrate collision avoiding technologies in their test programmes.

"This gives consumers a better insight into the advantages of auto brake systems.

"It will also drive implementation of these technologies through the vehicle fleet."

The IIHS' new crash prevention evaluation will be incorporated into the institute's 2014 Top Safety Pick+ rating. 

It includes two tests addressing front-to-rear crashes, one at 20 km/h (12 mph) and the other at 40 km/h (25 mph). 

An additional point is given to vehicles with Forward Collision Warning.

Broberg said: "The IIHS test focuses on two situations, both with the car approaching a stationary vehicle mock-up.

"However, it should be emphasised that Volvo Cars' systems cover a much broader scope of real-life scenarios, including vehicles moving in the same direction, pedestrians and cyclists."

The benefits of City Safety technology was documented in an earlier IIHS/HLDI (Highway Loss Data Institute) report stating a reduction of the collision claim frequency by up to 20%.

Data from Swedish insurer If shows similar figures with frontal collisions in car following situations being reduced by 23%.

The IIHS study of insurance claims involving a Volvo XC60 shows that City Safety reduces the costs for bodily injury liability by 33% while property damage liability was lowered by 15%.

"Over the years, the risk of being injured in a Volvo has been reduced continuously and substantially," added Broberg.

"By introducing new preventive and protective systems, we keep moving towards our aim that by 2020 no one should be injured or killed in a new Volvo.

"Our long-term vision is that cars should not crash."

 

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