Mother and father, be sincere, have you ever ever struggled together with your baby’s homework? I don’t have youngsters, however I’m fairly assured. Assured that I’ll pull out all the remaining hair on my head in the event you give me a sheet of highschool maths. It shouldn’t be that manner, proper? We all know what it’s, we’ve studied it earlier than, and a few may need even scored As within the topic again within the day.

Mates, it’s all about observe. Similar to in sports activities, you’ll be able to’t simply present up after a few years away and curl one into the highest nook or hit a one-handed backhand winner such as you by no means left.

It’s the identical with driving. Whereas we drive on a regular basis, it’s not usually that we get right into a state of affairs that’s near the automobile’s (and our personal) limits. Many drivers haven’t even been in such conditions earlier than – we’re taking a few automobile’s most braking energy and the sting of traction. It has been a few years since I participated in a driving course and pushed a automobile to its limits in a secure, managed surroundings, so again to high school it was.

Final month, Volvo Automotive Malaysia (VCM) hosted its first-ever Security Driving Expertise to cap its ‘For Life’ marketing campaign at KL’s Sungai Besi airfield. The marketing campaign highlights the a long time of security improvements by the Swedish carmaker, which have most likely saved tens of millions of lives.

Notable firsts embody the three-point security belt (1959), the rearward-facing baby seat (1972), booster cushion for teenagers (1978), side-impact airbags (1994), aspect curtain airbags (1998), blind spot info system (BLIS, 2003) and pedestrian detection with full auto-brake (2010), amongst different security options that are actually ubiquitous in automobiles.

Virtually as intelligent is the enduring Volvo For Life tagline – I can’t consider many situations the place simply two phrases in a slogan can say a lot a few model.

“The Volvo Security Driving Expertise completely sums up the ethos of our ‘For Life’ marketing campaign – Whenever you really feel secure, you’ll be able to actually be free,” stated Patricia Yaw, head of promoting and PR at VCM. “We wish to empower Volvo drivers with the right mindset and information for security on the highway, studying life-saving abilities with confidence within the newest Volvo automobiles geared up with cutting-edge superior driver help methods and security improvements appearing as a further security internet,” she added.

The 2-day occasion noticed 240 (only a coincidence, I’m certain) members consisting of Volvo prospects, fans and the media studying important defensive driving abilities, and placing the teachings into observe. Kudos to VCM for being so beneficiant – 102 of the members have been non-Volvo homeowners, they usually solely needed to pay RM100 for the expertise.

The day began off early with an IKEA breakfast (a novel pairing of two iconic Swedish manufacturers) earlier than a briefing on the fundamentals. Seating accurately is the muse of driving effectively – whether or not from a efficiency or security standpoint – but, most individuals don’t do that accurately. An excessive amount of recline and limbs absolutely stretched out is the most typical mistake.

In case you’re not seated proper (elbows and knees bent, palms on the wheel’s 3 and 9 place) you should have restricted steering vary and gained’t be capable of step onerous sufficient in emergency braking, setting your self up for failure for ALL the workouts, which simulate precise crucial conditions.

The protection driving module then proceeded to introduce members to ABS braking and emergency lane change within the XC40 and C40 Recharge Pure Electrical EVs. Virtually everybody has heard of ABS and stability management, and we wish these security options in our automobiles, however not everybody is aware of how ABS works, what occurs when it really works, and the way we should always react together with it.

The train had us stand on the brakes (actually, else anti-lock gained’t have interaction) from 60 km/h to a full cease, to familiarise members with the protection function, earlier than upping the sport to contain avoiding an impediment. In actual life, this might be a canine or a toddler, so figuring out what to do is important.

From onerous braking to no braking for the subsequent train – emergency lane change. As soon as once more, we accelerated to round 60 km/h (feels quicker than you suppose in a slim lane of cones) earlier than swerving into one other lane with out touching the brakes, and straightening after that. The instructors gave the left or proper command on the final second within the closing run, testing our reflexes.

Not each real-life emergency state of affairs permits us the time and house to brake, and this train confirmed us how we should always react, and the way the automobile will react, in break up second situations.

With the basics coated, the programme shifted to the runway for the ‘experiential’ module, the place we acquired to check out chosen driver help options which can be related in every day driving, resembling Pilot Help (adaptive cruise management with steering, cease and go) and cross site visitors alert with auto brake. These options are your folks, get to know your folks.

We’re on an airstrip, the very best place for a high velocity check, however this can be a security occasion, I sighed. To my shock, we got high velocity runs on the 1.8 km-runway, the place I managed to hit the XC60 PHEV‘s 180 km/h velocity cap.

In case you don’t already know, all new Volvo automobiles since 2020 are restricted to 180 km/h ‘to ship sturdy sign in regards to the risks of dashing’. That’s nonetheless greater than sufficient velocity on faucet, and plenty of would have left the occasion with an indelible reminiscence of hitting high velocity on a metropolis airstrip, with the KL skyline in full view and the double-deck SPE freeway alongside.

However the very best was but to come back, for me not less than. The occasion ended with a timed slalom course that wanted greater than aggressive juices. This was the time for members to place into observe all that they’ve realized about automobile management on the restrict, and piece all of them collectively right into a clean lap.

The important thing phrase is clean – it’s not simple to realize the fragile steadiness between stepping into onerous (you’ll run vast and/or ESC will lower energy, shedding you valuable seconds) and being too cautious (five-second penalty for hitting a cone may weigh closely for some, however too secure = too gradual), however that’s what separates the nice from the remainder, and the very best from the nice. You’ve acquired to push the automobile to the sting, however not let it fall off the imaginary cliff – it’s a superb line.

A line that this participant managed to stroll on fairly effectively, solely to journey and fall on the closing hurdle, which is to cease the automobile absolutely inside a field after full energy on the ultimate straight. I overshot, and the next five-second penalty turned a rating that was title contender into mid-table. By no means thoughts the prize, it was nice enjoyable.

However greater than enjoyable, the Volvo Security Driving Expertise was a well timed refresher course for this driver, one which reactivated the muscle reminiscence of how one can react in crucial conditions, together with a automobile’s security options. I’m fairly sure that lots of my fellow members have been new to such situations, and what they realized and skilled that day at Sungai Besi air base would follow them. For Life.

GALLERY: Volvo Security Driving Expertise

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