Drivers prone to straying from their lanes will soon get a little more help steering their way to safety. Volvo is introducing three new systems that combine lane-keeping-assist features with automated steering, which will help motorists avoid crashes when obstacles are detected. The upgraded systems appear on the new 2018 Volvo XC60, the second-generation model, slated to be unveiled at the upcoming Geneva auto show.
For now, the systems merely assist drivers and do not take full control of the vehicle, but ?all three of these new features represent clear steps in our work toward fully autonomous cars,? said Malin Ekholm, senior director of Volvo Cars? Safety Centre. When automated emergency braking isn?t enough to prevent a collision on its own, Volvo?s updated City Safety feature engages and provides steering assistance to avoid obstacles, including vehicles, pedestrians, and animals. It activates at speeds between 31 and 62 mph. This augments the company’s existing collision-avoidance system that, in its third generation, has helped reduce rear-end collisions in equipped vehicles by 45 percent, according to Volvo research.

For drivers who inadvertently stray across a double yellow line into oncoming traffic, a new feature helps prevent head-on collisions. Oncoming Lane Mitigation helps steer drivers back into their lanes if it senses a vehicle in the oncoming lane. It operates at speeds between 36 and 87 mph.
Finally, Volvo has coupled its blind-spot monitoring...