The thought of accidentally leaving your sleeping child in the car and them dying through overheating or hypothermia is a horrific scenario for any parent or carer.
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Fortunately, a new interior radar feature in the forthcoming Volvo EX90 all-electric SUV, is designed to help prevent such a tragedy. Heartbreakingly, since 1998, more than 900 children in the US have died after being left in hot cars - the majority because someone forgot their child was in the car.
The new radar feature is designed to be accurate and sensitive enough to detect the tiniest movements at sub-millimetre scale – like those of a sleeping toddler. It’s the first such feature to cover the entire interior of the car, including the boot.
The impressive lifesaving device is to be rolled out on the Volvo EX90 on 9 November and will be included in other forthcoming Volvo car models. The system also detects the movement of pets in a car.
"No one chooses to be distracted or tired, but we know it can happen," said Lotta Jakobsson, Volvo's senior technical specialist in injury prevention.
"We’re all human and distraction is a fact of life. With the help of cutting-edge technology, we’ll support you when you’re not at your best and help you avoid leaving family members or pets behind by accident."
So how does it work?
The radar system is activated from the moment you try to lock your car, determining whether your car is empty of any people or pets before it allows the car to be locked. If a family member or pet is detected inside, the car will remain unlocked and the car will display a reminder to check the cabin for occupants on the centre console screen.
The car’s climate system can remain on if people or animals are detected in the cabin, to improve comfort. This can also help lower the risk of hypothermia or heatstroke.
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We think this new system is a brilliant and much-needed feature, which will hopefully help prevent tragic deaths of children and pets.
