As well as being one of the safest cars on the road, the all-new Volvo V40 is to be given a lower insurance rating, following extensive testing at the renowned industry research centre in Thatcham, Berkshire.

Volvo’s own version of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) – known as City Safety and fitted as standard on the V40 – was rigorously tested at the Thatcham Motor Insurance Research Repair Centre and it was concluded that the technology was so effective at preventing low speed accidents, that it should be taken into account when defining the insurance group.

The City Safety low-speed collision avoidance system operates at speeds up to 31 mph on the V40 and works by keeping an eye on traffic in front and automatically brakes if the driver fails to react in time when the vehicle in front slows down or stops, or if the car is approaching a stationary vehicle too fast.

Depending on the model, the V40 range will now be given an insurance rating two to three groups lower under the new criteria which ultimately means reduced premiums for owners.

Volvo Car Corporation's director of governmental affairs Anders Eugensson commented:

"Safety remains very much at the heart of Volvo's design and technology ethos and we are delighted that Thatcham has selected our V40 model equipped with City Safety which is our AEB feature. It is tremendous that our efforts are now reaping additional benefits for drivers: lower insurance ratings mean reduced premiums. Unlike our rivals, whose AEB technology is either an option or featured on models higher in the range, City Safety is standard on the V40 and, indeed, across most of the range and will be standard on all new and enhanced models.”

The all-new Volvo V40 is available from Mill Volvo now; call in to a garage near you to arrange a test drive.

View an animation of City Safety on the all-new V40 below: