Volvo is widely known for its excellent occupant safety systems, here is the list of safety features invented by Volvo
Volvo vehicles are exceptionally safe as compare to any other similar class vehicles in the UK and just because of their exceptional occupant safety and now a hawkeye focus on pedestrian safety, Volvo is getting fame. Volvo has always lead the market with its innovative inventions in the automotive industry and when it comes to the vehicle safety they are always standing ahead. Here is the list of six technologies or the safety features which were invented by the Swedish automaker and most of them have become the standard part of every vehicle is being manufactured across the globe today. One of them is the 3-way seat belt, amazed? Yes, the modern seat belt has been invented by Volvo.
The safety and occupant protection aims of Volvo are very high where they say that by 2020 there would be no death occur in Volvo vehicles at all. It looks like an extremely tough task but they are ahead of the challenge so far and they have pushed the envelope to introduce more sophisticated safety technologies.
Volvo itself was invented in 1924 in Sweden and since the launch of the brand they have always tried to make safer vehicles and in order to accomplish their tasks, they have invented many safety features in the last nine decades, here is the list of six safety features invented by Volvo engines in last nine decades.
Three-point seatbelt – 1959
A Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin invented three-point seat belt in 1959, imagine if vehicles hadn’t been using the seat belts, how many deaths could have been added in the current death toll across the globe.
Seat belts are saving millions of lives every year and now it has been a standard that every vehicle must have seatbelts not only on the front seats but also on the rear seats. Even the kids’ seat must have seat belts. Volvo has waived the patent for the seatbelt technology and it is making sure that billions of people would benefit from seat belts every day.
Rear-facing child seat – 1972
It is not only about the adult safety, but kids safety is also important as they hold the legacy of a nation, but Volvo has also invented the rear-facing child seats. This seat protects the children from impact injury as kids have weak neck muscles and cannot hold their heads straight while braking and due to weak necks, they can easily have a neck injury on a very small braking impact. Volvo invented booster seats for the kids to minimize the injuries in the children.
Side impact protection – 1991
It is possible that during the driving a vehicle can get hit from the side as well. It is not necessary that it was the driver’s fault. It might be someone else’s fault or it could happen due to skidding the vehicle in the winter season. There can be many other reasons as well that you can face a side impact but Volvo has invented the side protection system in 1991 called SIPS. It includes reinforced seats, cross member energy and impacts absorbing materials in the body structure. Side-impact airbags were also added to the system.
Whiplash protection – 1998
A massive impact from the front of the car can snap the neck of the passenger forward and can cause a serious injury which can further lead to the instant death of the passenger or the driver. Volvo addressed this problem really efficiently and developed the Whiplash protection system in 1998 to support the neck of the occupants. This system is based on uniform seat design and strong headset.
Inflatable curtain – 1998
The invention of airbags in the automotive world has revolutionized the overall situation. The airbags ultimately save the lives of the vehicle occupants and Volvo has gone another step forward in this field with inflatable curtains on the vehicle sides. Which can significantly absorb the impact energy from the sides. They can be deployed in just 25 thousandth part of a second to save lives.
Pedestrian detection with braking – 2010
Volvo confirms that even those walking around their vehicles would remain safe and they have developed an autonomous pedestrian detection system which brakes automatically. Based on the radars and sensors system identify the moving objects ahead and works when a person suddenly walks into the road and makes impossible for the driver to react. This system saves the lives of the people walking outside the Volvo vehicles.
