Volvo has a braking system that can stop a 40-ton semi on a dime

Volvo Group

For car nerds like myself, and regular drivers and passengers alike, the automotive experience has evolved rapidly in the past decade, with all manner of modern features from on-board Wi-Fi and portable device integration to automated parking.

Now the self-driving segment of the market is quickly taking shape. Volvo is raising the bar big time with some rad autonomous features in semi-trucks.

Imagine a big-rig, loaded with cargo, barreling down the road in traffic. What happens if the driver falls asleep or becomes incapacitated? Huge crash, people are injured or killed. We've seen it many times on roads all over the world.

Volvo Trucks Global has developed a system that could prevent tragic accidents like those with its Collision Warning/Early Braking system.

The technology has been developed specifically for Volvo semi-trucks, and the result is mind-boggling. Check the video:

That truck is loaded with 40 TONS of cargo, and it stops by itself, on a dime. Unreal! Here's a deeper look at how Volvo's system works:

Similar examples are being developed throughout the auto industry. Mercedes-Benz is working on an amazing self-driving semi of its own - appropriately called "Future Truck"

Mercedes-Benz's effort is aimed at saving money and making long-distance trucking easier on the drivers. By having a truck that's fully automated, Mercedes promises major companies will be able to control labor costs and streamline workloads. Truckers can enjoy a living room-like work space, while controlling the truck with an iPad. An iPad!

While Google, Tesla and Apple (among many, many others) design the future of self-driving cars, it's nice to know someone is thinking about the big guys on the road, too.