Volvo has slashed insurance premiums across its model range by making its City Safety autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system standard-fit on all of its new cars.
The system, which automatically applies the brakes when it detects a pedestrian, car or another imminent low-speed collision, has been proven to cut accident rates, and cars fitted with it as standard (but not as an optional extra) receive insurance discounts as a result.
First fitted as standard to the lower medium V40, City Safety has now been rolled out as a standard-fit component across the remainder of Volvo’s new car range (with the exception of the run-out XC90
SUV, being replaced next year), which has seen insurance ratings drop by up to four groups depending on the model.
The Swedish manufacturer also claims fleets can achieve a reduction in their accident rates and subsequent costs by operating cars fitted with its AEB system, citing chauffeur firm Tristar Worldwide, which operates 500 vehicles, a large proportion of which are Volvos.
The company is said to have cut its third-party insurance costs by £260,000 and first-year repair costs by almost £350,000 by adding the system to the models on its fleet in September 2011, subsequently reducing its hire costs by £65,000 as a result.
