Volvo EX90 Safety: City Safety Radar, Australian Wildlife & Kangaroo Detection
When a Volvo EX90 glides down a dark rural road in New South Wales, its radar and cameras are working hard to spot something most drivers fear: a kangaroo hopping into your path.
That scenario is exactly why Volvo invested years of research into Australian wildlife detection. But does the EX90’s advanced sensor suite actually recognise a kangaroo? The answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no.
TL;DR
The Volvo EX90 comes equipped with one of the most advanced sensor packages in the automotive world, including LiDAR, radar, and cameras. Volvo’s City Safety system detects large animals and can apply automatic braking. However, Volvo’s own documentation reveals that large animal detection has significant limitations — it works best at higher speeds and reduces speed by only 15 km/h. While Volvo conducted dedicated kangaroo detection research in Australia starting in 2015, the system’s effectiveness against jumping marsupials remains less certain than against moose or deer.
Key Takeaways
- City Safety’s large animal detection can reduce speed by up to 15 km/h and is most effective at speeds above 70 km/h
- Volvo conducted Australian kangaroo research in 2015 at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve near Canberra to train its systems on local wildlife
- The EX90’s LiDAR can detect pedestrians at up to 250 metres and small objects like tyres at 120 metres, even in complete darkness
- Kangaroos presented a unique challenge because their jumping motion confused AI trained on walking animals like moose and reindeer
- Large animal detection has limitations in darkness and poor visibility, and may disengage entirely in certain conditions
How Volvo’s City Safety Handles Australian Wildlife
The Technology Behind Large Animal Detection
Volvo’s City Safety system uses a combination of radar and camera technology to detect obstacles ahead. A radar sensor in the grille scans the road, while a high-resolution camera behind the windscreen identifies what the radar finds and determines its movement direction.
When the system identifies a potential collision with a large animal, it follows a three-step process: warning the driver, supporting braking if the driver reacts, and finally applying automatic brakes if no action is taken.
The system’s reaction time is impressive. Volvo states it takes just 0.05 seconds for the computer to react to a detected object, compared to the human reaction time of about 1.2 seconds.
The Kangaroo Problem
Here’s where things get complicated for Australian drivers.
Volvo trained its large animal detection system on Swedish wildlife: moose, reindeer, and cows. These animals walk or run in predictable patterns. Kangaroos, however, jump — and that movement pattern didn’t fit the AI’s training data.
Volvo’s own research team acknowledged this challenge directly. Martin Magnusson, Senior Safety Engineer at Volvo Cars, explained: “Kangaroos are very unpredictable animals and difficult to avoid… Kangaroos are smaller than these animals and their behaviour is more erratic”.
In 2015, Volvo sent safety experts to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve near Canberra — one of Australia’s kangaroo collision hotspots — to film and study the animals’ roadside behaviour. The data collected was used to refine the system specifically for Australian conditions.
What the EX90 Brings to the Table
Next-Level Sensors
The Volvo EX90 represents a massive leap forward in sensor technology compared to earlier models. It comes standard with:
- One roof-mounted LiDAR sensor (Luminar Iris system)
- Five radars
- Eight cameras
- Sixteen ultrasonic sensors
This sensor suite builds what Volvo calls “a highly accurate picture of the vehicle’s surroundings”. The LiDAR is particularly important for night driving — it works by emitting laser pulses that measure distance with high precision, completely independent of ambient light.
Volvo claims the LiDAR can detect pedestrians at 250 metres and something as small and dark as a tyre on black asphalt at 120 metres, even at high speeds.
Connected Safety: The Network Effect
The EX90 also introduces Volvo’s expanded Connected Safety features. Through an over-the-air update, the EX90 can now share hazard data with other connected Volvos.
One of the new alerts is specifically for Large Animals. When one EX90 detects a large animal near the road, it tags the location with GPS coordinates and uploads the data to Volvo’s servers. Other connected Volvos approaching the same location receive a warning before the driver can see the hazard.
This creates a network effect: the more Volvos on Australian roads, the better the system becomes at warning drivers about kangaroo hotspots.
The Honest Limitations
What City Safety Can and Cannot Do
Volvo is refreshingly transparent about the limits of its system. The official documentation states clearly:
“The camera’s field of vision is limited, which is why pedestrians, large animals, cyclists and vehicles in some situations cannot be detected, or they are detected later than anticipated”.
For large animals specifically, the auto-brake function can only reduce speed by up to 15 km/h. This is far less than what the system achieves for vehicles (up to 60 km/h) or cyclists (up to 50 km/h).
The system is also most effective at higher speeds — above 70 km/h — and less effective at lower speeds. This might seem counterintuitive, but it reflects the system’s primary purpose: reducing the severity of highway collisions rather than preventing city-speed impacts.
When the System May Fail
Several conditions can degrade or disable large animal detection:
- Darkness or poor visibility can cause warnings to be disengaged entirely
- Obstructions on the camera or radar unit reduce functionality
- Stationary or slow-moving animals are harder to detect than moving ones
- Connected Safety features require an active internet connection and a road present in the map database
For Australian drivers in rural areas with patchy mobile coverage, that last limitation matters. The kangaroo alert you need most might be unavailable exactly where you need it.
Always drive responsibly and follow local traffic laws. No driver assistance system replaces an attentive driver, especially on Australian roads where wildlife can appear without warning.
What Australian Drivers Should Know
The Reality of Kangaroo Collisions
Kangaroo strikes are a genuine safety concern in Australia. According to NRMA data cited by Volvo, there are over 20,000 kangaroo strikes on Australian roads each year, costing over AU$75 million in insurance claims.
Canberra is particularly notorious — Volvo chose the region for its research because it’s one of the nation’s hotspots for kangaroo collisions.
The system Volvo developed is “not designed to take responsibility away from drivers,” Magnusson emphasised. “If the driver is inattentive the car will warn him or her and eventually intervene with hard braking”.
Practical Advice for EX90 Owners
If you drive a Volvo EX90 in Australia, here’s how to get the most from the system:
- Keep sensors clean. Mud, insects, and debris on the camera or radar can degrade performance
- Understand the speed limits. Large animal detection works best above 70 km/h but reduces speed by only 15 km/h
- Don’t rely solely on the system in darkness. Warnings may be disengaged in poor visibility
- Check for software updates. Connected Safety features are delivered over-the-air and improve over time
- Stay alert in known kangaroo areas. Dawn and dusk are peak times for wildlife movement
Comparison: Volvo Safety Systems Across Models
| Feature | EX90 | XC90 (2016+) | V90/S90 |
|---|---|---|---|
| LiDAR | Standard | Not available | Not available |
| Large Animal Detection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Kangaroo-Specific Training | Evolved from 2015 research | Evolved from 2015 research | Evolved from 2015 research |
| Connected Safety Alerts | Large Animal, VRU, Roadwork, Accident | Limited | Limited |
| Max Speed Reduction (Large Animal) | 15 km/h | 15 km/h | 15 km/h |
FAQ
Does the Volvo EX90 detect kangaroos?
Volvo trained its large animal detection on kangaroos after 2015 research in Australia. The system should recognise them, though jumping motion remains a challenge compared to walking animals.
At what speed does City Safety work for large animals?
Large animal detection is most effective above 70 km/h and can reduce speed by up to 15 km/h.
Can the system prevent a kangaroo collision entirely?
No. The system is designed to reduce impact severity, not guarantee avoidance. It warns, supports braking, and applies auto-brake as a last resort.
Does darkness affect kangaroo detection?
Yes. Volvo’s documentation states warnings for large animals “could be disengaged due to darkness or poor visibility”.
What is the EX90’s LiDAR range?
The roof-mounted LiDAR detects pedestrians at up to 250 metres and small objects like tyres at 120 metres, even in complete darkness.
Can other Volvos warn me about kangaroos ahead?
Yes. Connected Safety allows EX90, EX60, and ES90 models to share Large Animal Alerts with other connected Volvos via the cloud.
Which Volvo Model Best Fits Your Driving Needs?
The Volvo EX90 represents the brand’s most advanced attempt yet at tackling Australian wildlife collisions. The combination of LiDAR, radar, cameras, and connected safety alerts creates layers of protection that earlier Volvos simply couldn’t offer.
But technology has limits. The system reduces speed by only 15 km/h for large animals. It struggles in darkness. And the kangaroo’s unpredictable jumping motion remains a challenging target for any AI.
For Australian drivers, the EX90 is a genuine step forward — but it’s not a substitute for vigilance. Volvo’s own engineers say it best: the technology warns and assists, but the driver remains responsible.
Which Volvo safety feature matters most to you for Australian driving? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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