Volvo XC70 Review

Volvo XC70

Our Volvo XC70 test car was also fitted with BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) and LDW (Lane departure warning) with DAC (Driver Alert Control). Using cameras integrated into the door mirrors, BLIS registers whether another vehicle is in the blind spot offset to the rear of the car. If there is a vehicle there, a lamp lights up in the relevant mirror to alert the driver.

Rather than monitoring human behaviour (which varies from one person to another) DAC monitors the progress of the car on the road. Monitoring driving behaviour is more reliable as it assesses the impact that fatigue or distraction has on the car's movements and assesses whether it's being driven in a controlled, consistent manner. This system consists of a camera located between the windscreen and the interior rear view mirror, a number of sensors and a control unit. The camera measures the distance between the car and the road lane markings, while the sensors register the car's movements. This information is sent to the Volvo XC70's control unit which then calculates whether the driver is at risk of losing control of the car. If the risk is assessed as high, the driver is alerted via an audible signal, while a text message and coffee cup symbol appear in the cars information display to urge the driver to take a break. The driver has the opportunity to access driving information throughout a journey, the starting point is five bars and the less consistent the driving, the fewer bars remain.

Both the Driver Alert Control and Lane Departure Warning are activated when the Volvo XC70 reaches 40mph and they will stay active as long as the speed exceeds 37mph. The availability of these systems depends on the number and quality of visible road markings. The lane markings must be clearly visible and poor light, fog, snow and extreme weather conditions can make the system unavailable.

Again, it can be switched off - Lane Departure Warning can be annoying on country roads where we like to keep to as a straight line as possible when we can see around bends but on the motorway it is a fantastic safety aid.

Additionally, our Volvo XC70 test car had ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) which was part of a pack with the Distance Alert and Collision Warning System. The driver can activate the cruise control setting the desired maximum speed at between 18 and 125mph, and then choose the minimum time interval to the cars in front. There are five different time intervals to choose from. The Adaptive Cruise Control uses a radar sensor to measure continuously the distance to the vehicles in front and automatically adapts the speed of the car to help ensure the distance is not too close.

Volvo XC70