Volvo EX30 watches out for bicyclists

Volvo Cars' entry electric crossover will be the Swedish automaker's first vehicle to offer a safety solution aimed at preventing deadly accidents with cyclists.

The EX30, which will make its world debut June 7, warns occupants with visual and audio cues if they are about to open the door in front of a passing cyclist or other traffic user.

The system will be part of the EX30's standard safety equipment.

"Dooring" accidents account for up to one-fifth of all reported bike accidents in some cities.

Dooring happens when a cyclist is hit by or runs into a vehicle door that is opened into the path of travel. The collision usually knocks the cyclist off the bike, causing serious injuries and, in some cases, death.

Volvo will be the second member of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group to offer the technology.

The first was the Smart #1, which is the first car from Smart Automobile in its new status as an electric-only joint venture between Geely and Mercedes-Benz.

The tech system is also standard equipment in that small crossover.

Both the EX30 and Smart #1 are underpinned by Geely's Sustainable Experience Architecture, which is also used on vehicles from other markets: the Zeekr 001 and 009, and Jidu, which is Baidu's electric vehicle unit.

Other vehicles with technology to avoid collisions with cyclists include the Audi A8 luxury sedan, Hyundai Santa Fe midsize crossover and Skoda Octavia compact.

Volvo CEO Jim Rowan told Automotive News Europe in November that the EX30 will be a "big part" of achieving the company's 2025 targets of boosting global sales 95 percent compared with last year to 1.2 million, with half of those models being full electric.

"It's a really important car for us for so many different reasons," he said, adding that the target buyer is a "Gen Z person who is 18, 19 years old and coming into the car market for the first time" who wants a good price but also still wants top safety equipment.

Volvo said it designed the EX30 to be "city-safe with technology specifically aimed at protecting people in busy urban environments."

Asa Haglund, who heads Volvo's safety center, said in a release that the EX30 takes "city safety to the next level."

It is "a small SUV that is your perfect companion for a comfortable driving experience, while it looks after you and other people on the busy streets of modern cities," Haglund said.

The EX30 also includes a standard driver alert system with a sensor behind the steering wheel that checks eye and facial movements about 13 times per second for signs that the driver is distracted, drowsy or otherwise inattentive and provides a warning.