New Volvo S90 sedan features moose detector, semi-autonomous driving

Volvo S90 sedan unveiled in Detroit (Photo: Nick Maronese/Autofocus.ca)

Volvo unveiled its new S90 premium luxury sedan on January 11 at the auto show in Detroit - a perfect showcase of the brand’s direction for the future, the automaker said in a press release.

On the design front, the concave grille (which is derived from Volvo's 1970s P1800 sports car), and “Thor’s Hammer lights” that make up the front end will define the new face of Volvo going forward.

As far as technology goes, it shows off the pioneering work the company has put into autonomous research, with a standard IntelliSafe Assist safety suite that includes “semi-autonomous” Pilot Assist, which gently guides the car to stay within its lane.

Powering the new S90 is Volvo’s T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid powertrain system, which offers a total 410 horsepower and can be switched between Pure, Hybrid and Power modes.

The S90 will also be the first Volvo with a large animal detection that warns the driver and automatically begins to brake if it sense an imminent collision with a moose or elk.

Pricing details for Canada are expected closer to the vehicle's release date at dealerships.