Your vehicle's ability to understand its surroundings is achieved through many systems and types of sensors. The vehicle's interpretation of the data it collects helps inform its behavior, especially for driver support features.
| Cameras | Cameras work similarly to the human eye. What they capture is used for different purposes, which depends on the camera. For example, the upper front-facing camera helps the vehicle identify things such as traffic signs and road markings, while the rear parking camera feed appears in the display. |
| Radar units | The radar units use radio waves to collect information about the vehicle's surroundings. They can identify the distance to objects and certain aspects of their movement. This information is essential for many features in the vehicle. |
| Ultrasonic parking sensors | These sensors use sound waves to detect relatively close objects. They work by sending out ultrasound pulses that can bounce back to the sensors when they encounter an object. |
How the systems work together
The different detection types complement each other. They are sometimes used on their own and sometimes together.
Important
General detection and identification limitations
- The vehicle can't always handle unpredictable or unusual situations. When the vehicle finds it difficult to correctly identify the environment or traffic situation, the accuracy of its response is affected.
- Damage to the vehicle can affect detection and features that rely on it. Many faults can be identified by the vehicle, but some may not be possible to self-identify. This is why it's important to make sure that the vehicle is in good condition and working order. Contact an authorized Volvo workshop if you suspect there are any faults or if you notice damage to the vehicle.
- Limiting factors and conditions can and often do coincide. They can compound and interact in ways that lead to an incorrect response from the vehicle.
Obstacle detection limitations
Obstacle detection helps the vehicle identify certain stationary and moving objects. These objects include other road users such as pedestrians or other vehicles, as well as animals, barriers or other objects. If obstacles are in or close to the vehicle's driving path, they could pose a collision risk. Depending on the circumstances, the vehicle might be able to warn or intervene if the object is accurately identified. For every type of object the vehicle can identify, there are many factors that can prevent accurate identification. Examples of limiting factors, situations and events include:
- Closely spaced, overlapping or partially blocked objects and road users.
- Objects and road users that blend in with the background.
- Objects and road users that move or accelerate particularly fast.
- Uncommon vehicles, such as recumbent bicycles, combine harvesters or trailers with oddly shaped loads.
- Bicycles of a different type or size compared to a regular adult bicycle.
- New modes of transportation.
- Pedestrians wearing clothing or carrying objects that alter their silhouette.
- Pedestrians shorter than 80 cm (32 inches).
- Obstacles angled in ways that create an unknown silhouette.
- Size and speed of animals. Cats and dogs are often too small to be reliably identified.
Note
Traffic detection examples
The following examples of different traffic scenarios can help you understand some of the limitations of your vehicle's detection systems. Real-world scenarios are often more complex than the following illustrative1 examples in this manual.
Out of view and late detection
The various detection zones around your vehicle are static, each with a limited range and field of view. If something enters a detection zone at an unusual angle, at high speed or very close to your vehicle, it can cause a rapid response. This reduces safety margins compared to a situation in which earlier detection is possible.
Important
Lane placement and small vehicles
Forward detection works better for objects in the middle of the lane than for those on the outer edges. Vehicles can go undetected if they don't occupy the middle of the lane. While this can happen for any vehicle, the risk is higher for small vehicles such as motorcycles. They take up less of the lane's width and can move about more within the lane. Always pay extra attention to any vehicle not driving in the middle of the lane.
Shape, size and number of objects
- Small objects are harder to identify.
- The more objects in the detection field, the harder it is to identify individual ones.
- Objects close together that overlap are harder to identify.
- Objects with irregular shapes, such as overhanging or projecting parts, are harder to identify.
The presence of a large vehicle in front of you can make it difficult to identify a smaller one like a motorcycle between you and the large vehicle.
Important
Trailer in front
Trailer detection is often less reliable than the detection of other vehicles due to their shape and height. This applies, in particular, to narrow trailers, flatbed trailers and trailers with high load beds. These types of trailers often don't have enough surface area at the height where forward detection systems focus.
Road and infrastructure
Curves in the road can cause the vehicle to misinterpret the traffic situation. For example, it can lose track of a vehicle or misidentify which lane a vehicle ahead is in.
Important
Road condition and irregularities
- Sharp bends and bumps in the road can temporarily obscure important parts of the vehicle's surroundings, such as other vehicles or road markings.
- Non-standard or unusual road infrastructure might not be correctly identified by the vehicle. For example, road work or traffic diversions can result in conflicting or multiple sets of road markings.
- Worn road markings or signs might not be correctly identified.
