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The safest car in the world?

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life.

A listener asks whether his Volvo is the safest car on the road. The world鈥檚 automotive press has reported no one has ever died at the wheel of a XC90 in the UK. We fact-check the claim, and find out about the new technology saving lives and changing the cars we drive.

With the advances being made in self driving cars, we are already seeing huge changes to cars on the road today. Automatic braking systems it鈥檚 claimed are as significant to car safety as the seat belt. Cars are now taking control of themselves to prevent accidents.

But the picture across the world is very different when it comes to regulations and safety testing; we look at the numbers behind this revolution in driving.

Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Jordan Dunbar

(Image: A car and crash test dummy after a frontal collision test. Photo credit: Bertrand Guay/Getty Images)

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Tue 11 Sep 2018 01:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sun 9 Sep 2018 18:50GMT
  • Mon 10 Sep 2018 12:50GMT
  • Tue 11 Sep 2018 01:50GMT

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