Volvo has always prided itself on being ahead of the game when it comes to making its vehicles the safest they can be.
The Swedish brand has pledged that no deaths will occur in its vehicles from 2020, as it continues to push the envelope in terms of safety technology.
Since Volvo came into being in 1924, it has tried to make its vehicles as safe as possible and has been the lead on many innovations in motoring safety. Here are nine of the most important.
Three-point seatbelt – 1959
If it hadn’t been for Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin, there could have been a significant increase in deaths from accidents, as the Swede invented the restraint that is reported to have saved more than a million lives. To ensure every car could be fitted with the technology, Volvo waived the patent rights – meaning plenty of people would benefit from the harness. It debuted on the PV544.
Rear-facing child seat – 1972
Inspired by space rocket seats, which saw astronauts lying on their backs to reduce the chance of injury, Volvo brought this concept into child seating. The seat helped minimise injury on impact, with Volvo also innovating with booster seats in 1976 and 1990 as well.
Side impact protection – 1991
As cars can also get hit from the side and put lives at risk, Volvo innovated with the side impact protection system (SIPS) which included reinforced seats, a cross member in the floor and energy absorbing materials in the vehicle’s structure. Side impact airbags were added to the system in 1994.
Whiplash protection – 1998
When cars get hit at speed, a person’s neck can snap forward, potentially causing serious injury and permanent damage. Volvo focused on this problem and developed the whiplash protection system that includes a strong headrest and a uniform seat design that provides a lot of support in an impact.
Inflatable curtain – 1998
1998 also saw Volvo introduce the airbag-like inflatable curtain, which is built into the headline and can significantly absorb the energy of an impact with the head. Deploying in just 25 thousandths of a second, the curtain runs from the front to the back of the cabin.
Roll-over protection system – 2002
Using two innovations in one, the ROPS system uses the electronic roll stability control system to prevent the vehicle rolling over, and strengthened steel in the roof to help prevent serious injury if the car does topple. This led to the convertible version of the system, which deploys steel bars when the vehicle detects it is upside down and prevent serious head injury of occupants.
Blind spot information system – 2003
Sometimes it is difficult to see out of certain parts of the car, so Volvo introduced the blind spot monitoring system to detect whether a vehicle was in that area and then warn the driver with a light in the wing mirror. It uses cameras and radars to ensure you know what is surrounding you.
City safety – 2008
Using laser and radar technology to detect whether the driver has failed to brake in time, the city safety system automatically brakes the vehicle at speeds up to 31mph. According to Volvo, three quarters of all collisions that occur are slow speed rear-enders, and this system helps to prevent these happening.
Pedestrian detection with braking – 2010
Volvo wanted to make sure that even those outside the car were safe and developed the pedestrian detection system. The system uses radars and cameras to identify a pedestrian in the road, and then deploys the brakes if an impact is likely. This works when a person surprisingly walks out into the road and a driver doesn’t have enough time to react to it.
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