Self-driven cars come closer to reality

Advancing towards cars that drive on their own, Volvo Car Corp. has tested its new S60 model, which has the first in-car system that can sense an imminent collision with pedestrians and brake automatically if the driver doesn't.

The system is the latest in a line of developments made possible by sophisticated sensors based on cameras, radar and lasers.

The sensors already provide drivers with adaptive cruise control, which alters a car's speed to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front, as well as technology such as semi-autonomous parking systems.

Jonas Ekmark, a researcher at Volvo headquarters near Gothenburg, Sweden, has said that we are entering an era in which vehicles will also gather real-time information about the weather and highway hazards, using this to improve fuel efficiency and make life less stressful for the driver and safer for all road users.