No, the Volvo CEO Was Not Hit by a Car During an Auto-Brake System Demo

A viral video showing a man being struck by a Volvo SUV during a demonstration has been widely circulated online. Many posts, including misleading captions, claim that the man hit by the vehicle was Volvo’s CEO and that the incident occurred during a live test of Volvo’s auto-brake or pedestrian detection system. However, our investigation found that these viral claims are misleading.

Social Media Posts

A video showing an accident during a car demonstration in a showroom has been widely shared across multiple platforms. The accompanying captions claim that the demonstration was meant to showcase pedestrian detection, but the system was either faulty or deactivated, causing the car to hit a man many assumed was Volvo’s CEO.

Source | Archive

Source | Archive

Fact Check

The Man in the Video Is Not Volvo’s CEO

Our investigation revealed that this video has been circulating online for years. The incident, which occurred in 2015, took place during a demonstration at a dealership in the Dominican Republic, not at a corporate Volvo event. The video was covered by CNN, which described how the vehicle failed to stop during what appeared to be a showroom safety training scenario. CNN credited the original footage to the Dominican news platform Remolacha and confirmed that the crash was real, not staged.

Further clarification came from CBS News, which reported that the individuals struck in the video were journalists, not Volvo executives. A Volvo spokesperson confirmed to CBS that the journalists suffered only minor bruises. The report also noted that the Volvo XC60 involved did not include the optional pedestrian detection system that could have prevented the collision. (Source)

The Volvo XC60 in the Video Did Not Have Pedestrian Detection

According to Volvo, the vehicle in the video was an XC60 equipped with City Safety, their standard collision avoidance system. However, it lacked the Pedestrian Detection feature, which was sold as a separate optional upgrade. (Source)

The company further explained that even if Pedestrian Detection had been installed, the accident might still have occurred. When a driver accelerates forcefully, the safety system interprets this as intentional control and automatically deactivates to prevent conflicting with the driver’s commands.

Volvo first introduced its Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake and Pedestrian Detection system in 2010. By 2015, the feature was available on the XC60, but only as part of the Technology Package, which included: Pedestrian and cyclist detection, Adaptive cruise control and Forward collision warning.

Without this package installed, the vehicle would lack the capability to detect pedestrians or engage automatic braking in response to people in its path.

(Source: Autoevolution, Edmunds Review)

Current Volvo XC60’s Safety and Auto Brake Features

Today’s Volvo XC60 is equipped with a wide range of advanced safety technologies, with the auto brake system operating as a core component of Volvo’s City Safety suite. This integrated system is designed to help detect not only vehicles but also pedestrians, cyclists, and large animals.

Safety Features: City Safety uses a combination of radar and camera technology to continuously monitor the vehicle’s surroundings. When a potential collision is detected, the system provides visual and audible alerts to prompt driver intervention.

Auto Brake System: If the driver fails to respond, the system can automatically apply emergency braking at speeds up to 80 km/h. In certain scenarios, it may also offer steering support to help avoid obstacles. These features are especially valuable in urban environments, where close interaction with pedestrians and other vehicles is common.

(Source: Volvo Cars Waterloo, Car and Driver)

Conclusion

Based on our fact-checking, the viral claim that the Volvo CEO was hit during a demonstration when the auto-brake system failed is misleading. The incident did occur, but it involved journalists in the Dominican Republic in 2015, not Volvo executives. Additionally, the vehicle in question was not equipped with the optional Pedestrian Detection feature that would have been necessary to prevent such an accident.