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Volvo EX90 exterior teased further, goes heavy on glass and aero

How about six more teasers of the battery-electric, seven-seat Volvo EX90 SUV? We've heard about the new interior materials, seen renderings of the minimalist instrument panel and read about a massive commitment to safety inside and outside the SUV. Now we have scraps about what it took to put everything together within the aesthetic Volvo sought and a mission statement of "confident, sophisticated, and seamless." The rounder grille-less front fascia flows over the hood to a greenhouse heavy on flush glass. A large, tinted panoramic glass roof lets in just enough light without superheating the cabin and without robbing headroom. The side glazing is flush with the pillars and nearly flush with the sides of the car to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Flush door handles emerge as the keyholder approaches. Volvo says the EX90 posts a drag coefficient of 0.29, a figure that compares to 0.26 for the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV and 0.24 for the Tesla Model X that, admittedly, offers tiny optional third-row seats. Speaking with Motor Trend, lead Volvo exterior designer T. Jon Mayer said the other side of letting lots of light in the cabin is creating an inviting atmosphere when there's lots of dark in the cabin. "We’ve put a lot of effort into the illumination inside the EX90, trying to create a warm interior and a somewhat colder expression for the exterior," he said, making an analogy with the Swedish climate and Swedish people.  The Lidar sensor plays its part in a new level of safety and in aerodynamics. Placed at the leading edge of the roof, the Luminar sensor sits under a teardrop-shaped glass enclosure about 18 inches wide, under two inches tall. The laser system comes standard, helping provide 360-degree awareness so that the EX90 can always pay attention and take appropriate safe actions at those times when the driver isn't paying attention. Volvo says that tying exterior sensor safety logic to in-cabin cameras that can tell if a driver is focused on the task "can reduce the risk of death or serious injury by up to 20%." We've just seven days to go until Volvo mandarins gather in Stockholm to reveal the car to launch the automaker's next phase. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Ford, Volvo, Google, Uber and Lyft form self-driving alliance

Five companies arguably leading the worldwide effort to develop autonomous cars said Tuesday they're forming an organization to lobby the federal government to better prepare America's roads for self-driving technology. The founding members include some of the biggest companies in the automotive, autonomous, and ride-sharing realms – Ford, Google, Lyft, Uber and Volvo. Operating as the "Self-Driving Coalition for Safer Streets," they aim to work with lawmakers and regulators to clarify a disparate set of rules and regulations at both the state and federal levels that could hinder the deployment of autonomous cars. "The U.S. risks losing its leading position due to the lack of federal guidelines for the testing and certification of autonomous vehicles." – Hakan Samuelsson David Strickland, a former administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration who issued the first set of autonomous-related policies in that role (pictured below), will serve as the group's counsel and spokesperson. "The best path for this innovation is to have one clear set of federal standards, and the Coalition will work with policymakers to find the right solutions that will facilitate the deployment of self-driving vehicles," he said in a written statement. In January, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said his department would accelerate efforts to craft such federal standards. Those efforts include holding two public hearings on standards, the second of which is scheduled to be held Wednesday in Palo Alto, California. Foxx signaled the intent to deliver them by June. Google has been leading the efforts to ensure such standards are national in scope, warning their cars could run afoul of state-specific laws should they cross state borders or if standards varies between the federal efforts and regional ones. The complexity of such efforts was underscored recently, when NHTSA agreed that Google's software could be considered the driver of a vehicle for the purpose of meeting federal motor vehicle standards, an interpretation that would conflict with preliminary California rules that mandate a licensed driver operate a self-driving car that comes equipped with human controls like a steering wheel and brakes. At South By Southwest last month, Jennifer Haroon, Google's self-driving car business leader, said the company couldn't accomplish its goals under those regulations.

Volvo, Others to Assume Liability for Driverless Cars | Autoblog Minute

Self-driving cars could make our commutes a breeze but what happens when something goes wrong? Three industry leaders step up with an answer. Autoblog's Adam Morath reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute. .FW Mercedes-Benz Volvo Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video john krafcik Hakan Samuelsson