2003 Volvo Xc70 X/c Wagon 4-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Volvo details new drive assist features for next XC90 and future models [w/video]

Volvo wants us to know what kinds of new technology will be under the sheetmetal of the offerings that will sit on its Scalable Platform Architecture, the first of which will be included on the 2015 Volvo XC90 arriving at the end of next year. The silicon-chip onslaught starts with detection and auto braking for vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and large animals. The company's animal detection tech now works at night thanks to better cameras and exposure controls.
Also due for the high-riding wagon are road edge and barrier detection with steer assist, a setup that identifies the edge of the road - even ones without markings. The system can steer the car back into its lane if it detects the driver is about to leave the road or collide with a barrier. Adaptive cruise control with steer assist allows the car to not only follow the flow of traffic on a straight road, but steer itself automatically.
Beyond that, the company is planning on other safety advances, but these will rely on automaker cooperation and infrastructure upgrades. Volvo has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Car 2 Car Communication Consortium on the subject of standards for communication between cars and wants to have it implemented by 2016. Sensors in traffic lights will enable Green Light Optimum Speed Advisory, which tells a driver how fast to go on a give stretch of road so as not to hit a red light. Weather, road condition, road works and emergency vehicle warnings will also inform drivers of new developments on the road. And autonomous parking, which Volvo has already demonstrated, stands to put a lot of valets out of work since it allows the car to find its own parking space without a driver inside.

Leno shows off his current project cars

When your car collection grows to the enormous size of Jay Leno's, adding the usual muscle cars or European exotics loses the allure. It becomes necessary to start taking the things in weird directions. Leno is proving just that with his latest tour of many of the ongoing projects currently happening in the garage. With everything from Harley-Davidson generators to '50s hot rods on display just in this short video, there's something any fan can love. The place is like an automotive wonderland. For most people any one of these projects would be an absolute dream. For example, Leno has a copy of a one-off Mercedes-Benz racecar transporter that is nearly ready to drive. Another project hasn't even started yet but already seriously piqued our interest. Leno obtained a very ratty 1966 Volvo 122S wagon, but rather than just a restoration he's has a plan to get a V8 with a flat-plane crank from Volvo performance specialists Polestar. Another project on the way should provide a significant upgrade in performance, while still being quite green. Leno's team has already rebuilt the frame and wooden body from a 1914 Detroit Electric, and with that work done they've started dreaming of a modern drivetrain for it. One proposed candidate for the swap has been to install motor from a Nissan Leaf and a bank of lithium-ion batteries. News Source: Jay Leno's Garage via YouTube Aftermarket Celebrities Mercedes-Benz Volvo Electric Performance Classics Videos Jay Lenos Garage detroit electric

Volvo EX30 interior is minimalism with clever tricks and a sound bar

Volvo's given us another piece of the battery-electric EX30 puzzle. Our first proper glimpse of the interior proves Volvo was not overstating its focus on minimalism in the EX30. We've gone years now accusing infotainment screen of looking like tablets bolted to the dashboard. The centrally placed screen in the EX30 doesn't resemble an iPad on an instrument panel, it looks like a genuine tablet laid on a shelf. We look forward to finding out whether it can be unlatched from the clip-like supports on the sides. The automaker says all information is presented through the 12.3-inch portrait screen, despite the small curved screen mounted to the steering column behind the wheel. Our guess is the small screen is a gear selection indicator, if it's not for tiny info bites like speed and navigation, akin to what's on the Volkswagen ID.4. The large screen offers a "Calm" setting limiting the display to vitals only, letting some welcome dark into the cabin. For the first time in a Volvo, wireless Apple CarPlay is part of the infotainment functionality. The instrument panel has as least one trick of its own, being a sound bar laid across the top, under the windshield — the same kind of sound bar you'd buy for an OLED television. The unit in the pic is from Harman Kardon; we're not sure if that's standard fit or if it's an upgraded unit that goes with the optional Harman Kardon audio that will be available. Volvo says the EX30 will be the first application of a sound bar in a production car, chosen in part because the bar's clustered speakers cut down on wiring and open up space elsewhere. That's right, the sound bar contains the only speakers in the cabin. The space in the doors where speakers normally go has been converted to storage. Speaking of which, the EX30 picks up a few tricks we saw first on the battery-electric Nissan Ariya. The Volvo's glovebox has slid sideways to the center of the IP, accessible to the driver without leaning over. The center console slides fore and aft, providing cupholders in easy reach or more space for notions. The power window controls are on the center console as well, we hope located on a segment that doesn't slide. Volvo one-ups the Ariya by placing protective walls around the console's storage area on the floor, so little items don't roll left and right.