Insurance rates are falling on vehicles integrated with the most advanced safety technology; however, not all high tech safety features are created equal.

According to new research by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI), Volvo has pioneered a high tech device that is setting the bar higher than the rest.

The study found that drivers of Volvo XC60 midsize SUVs were significantly less likely than those behind the wheel of comparable vehicles to cause the kind of low-speed rear-end crashes that have long plagued rush-hour motorists thanks to the collision-avoidance feature called City Safety.

City Safety utilizes an infrared laser sensor built into the windshield to detect vehicles close to the front bumper and automatically applies the brakes when the SUV is traveling under 20 mph, reacting to vehicles within 18 feet of the front bumper in the daytime or at night.

"This is our first real-world look at an advanced crash avoidance technology, and the findings are encouraging," Adrian Lund, president of HLDI, said in a press release. "City Safety is helping XC60 drivers avoid the kinds of front-to-rear, low-speed crashes that frequently happen on congested roads."

Because City Safety is so successful at preventing fender benders, insurance companies are rewarding owners of the XC60 by slashing premium costs.

Not only are premiums falling on XC60's due to a lower frequency of accidents, but collision claims, which cover damages to a policyholder's vehicle, were $147 lower on average than those for other Volvos and $517 less than those involving other comparable SUVs allowing insurers to pass the savings on to consumers.

—AJ Register