Polestar 2 becomes first EV to feature new AVAS tech within group

Polestar 2, the electric performance car brand jointly owned by Volvo Car Group and Zhejiang Geely Holding, continues its role of spearheading the introduction and development of new technologies for the Volvo Car Group. It is the first fully electric vehicle to be crash tested, the first to feature new Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) technology, and the first to be fitted with new front-inner-side airbags within the Group.

To improve safety at slow speeds, Polestar 2 features unique and specially developed external sounds as part of its acoustic warning system. Designed to be recognisable, non-intrusive and natural-sounding, the Acoustic Vehicle Alert System (AVAS) has been engineered according to very specific parameters, with a pending patent.

Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer of Polestar said, “Safety is of paramount importance for Polestar. We are directly linked to Volvo Cars and with that comes their famous reputation for outstanding safety technology. So of course, Polestar cars are designed to be amongst the safest in the world and we are really proud of that.”

Battery protection in case of crash
Protecting the battery pack in the event of a collision is crucial. Enclosed in an aluminium case for both protection and rigidity, the battery pack is fully housed within the floor structure of the CMA platform. This approach not only reduces the risk of damage and stiffens the body structure, but also protects occupants by keeping the battery intact in the event of a collision. The battery pack is automatically disconnected from the rest of the vehicle to ensure there is no live connection in case of a crash.

Polestar 2 also features ‘SPOC block’
The entire package has also been tuned to cancel certain vibrational frequencies, acting as a damper to reduce so called Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH). The Polestar 2 also features the ‘SPOC block’ (Severe Partial Offset Crash) – a deflective solid aluminium block housed on the bottom edge of the front firewall on either side of the car, designed to minimise intrusion of the wheel and other objects into the cabin and towards the battery pack during partially offset frontal collisions.

Special attention to ambient sound
Sound engineers have paid specific attention to the positioning of the external speakers to ensure the way the sound is radiated from the vehicle both complies with legal requirements and ensures a comfortable experience for both pedestrians and vehicle occupants. Ingenlath added that, “We deliberately did not want Polestar 2 to sound like a robot or symphonic spaceship. We wanted very natural, subtle sounds that simply let pedestrians know the car is moving. At the same time, we wanted Polestar 2 to sound slightly unique and become identifiable as a Polestar, while remaining relatively simple.”

Inner-side airbags a standard feature
Polestar 2 also features inner-side airbags fitted to the front seats. Moreover, all available safety systems and assistance features are fitted as standard in the launch edition, giving customers absolute peace of mind that they will be driving one of the most advanced cars on the road.

New generation ADAS technology
Polestar 2 debuts a new generation of Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) technology, which will make its way into other products from the Volvo Car Group as well. Pilot Assist is an advanced driver assistance system which provides acceleration, braking and steering assistance up to 130 km/h. In its latest guise, Pilot Assist features location-based enhancements which adjust the amount of assistance in acceleration based on the car’s actual position. Detection systems for other vehicles in front, behind and in the blind spots of the car, as well as pedestrians and cyclists ahead of the car, are all coupled to steering assistance and autonomous emergency braking (AEB) to help ensure that interactions between other road users and Polestar 2 are kept as safe as possible at all times.