It was back in 1959 when Volvo invented the modern three point seatbelt, an invention that is directly credited with saving more than one million lives and its adoption in vehicles has been one of the biggest public health initiatives ever. Now, the Swedish brand have gone and improved it.
Called the ‘multi-adaptive safety belt’, the world first aims to improve safety in real world situations. The invention will first be seen in the upcoming Volvo EX60 where the belt will improve occupant safety by adapting to traffic situations as well as the wearer using data from the car’s sensors, both interior and exterior.
On the inside, the belt will adapt itself according to the person’s height, weight, body shape and seat position. The belt will also change the amount of force it applies depending on the person as well as the crash impact, Volvo are promising this feature will keep improving over time thanks to over the air software updates.
The belt’s technology is based on more than five decades of research and more than 80,000 occupants involved in real life accidents. The idea is for the ‘Volvo Cars Safety Standard’ to continue to exceed testing requirements.
Building on the above, the belt will work in tandem with Volvo’s other safety features including the airbags and driver assistance systems, improving its effectiveness while reducing the risk of injury to the car’s occupants. All done in the blink of an eye!
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Words by Matthew D’Souza, media courtesy of Volvo Cars Media.
