Car manufacturer Volvo is developing 'no death' cars that drive themselves and are impossible to crash. And they could be launched in as little as eight years time. Volvo has traditionally been at the forefront of automotive safety technology, so it is no surprise to see that it has reaffirmed its position by taking developing safety systems to a new level.

Volvo believes that cars packed with computer sensors, that refuses to be steered into other objects, could be a reality by 2020. They also say that potentially life saving technology will be on cars by 2014.

Volvo's head of government affairs Anders Eugensson said, “Our vision is that no one is killed or injured in a new Volvo by 2020.” He added, “We have tested prototypes on thousands of miles of test drives on public roads in Spain and on the company's test track in western Sweden.”

But whilst the technology may be nearly in place, public perception and legislation both currently work against autonomous vehicles. Moves are however, underway to amend international law under the Vienna Convention on Road traffic which would remove current blocks on fully autonomous vehicles. These rules currently state the driver must be in control of the vehicle at all times.

Volvo is also developing technology which would see drivers to join a “road train” on long journeys which would allow them to relax, read, or browse the internet whihe the car travels by with out driver input in a convoy with other vehicles.