Chronicling Volvos Safety Record
Volvo has always been known to be the automaker producing the safest cars in the world. The automakers motto “Volvo for life” is attributed to the reliability and safety of their cars. Volvos company symbol which could represent either the male symbol the symbol of Mars or the metal related to the planet Mars iron; in fact the same symbol actually refers to iron ore and stands for “Rolling Strength.”
Thanks to Wikipedia here is a chronological list of the security features Volvo has implemented and continues to implement over the years in their cars:
1944 Safety cage
1944 Laminated windscreen
1959 Threepoint safety belts in the front
1960 Padded dashboard
1964 Prototype of the first rearfacing child safety seat
1968 Head restraints in the front
1969 Threepoint inertiareel safety belts in the front
1970 Establishment of the Volvo Accident Research Team
1972 Threepoint safety belts in the rear
1972 Rearfacing child seat and childproof locks in the rear
1973 Collapsible steering column
1974 Energyabsorbent bumpers
1974 Fuel tank located ahead of rear axle
1978 Child booster seat
1982 Antisubmarining protection in the front and rear seats
1982 Wideangle door mirrors
1984 Antilock braking system
1986 Highlevel brake light
1986 Threepoint safety belt in the centre rear seat
1987 Driver airbag
1990 Integrated child booster seat
1991 SIPS SideImpact Protection System
1991 Automatic height adjustment of the front safety belts
1993 Threepoint inertiareel safety belts standard in all seats
1994 Side airbags
1997 Rollover Protection System convertible models
1998 WHIPS Whiplash Protection System”reclines” the seat on impact to protect the spine and neck
1998 Inflatable curtain
2000 Volvo Cars Safety Centre in Gothenburg
2000 ISOFIX attachment system for all child seats
2000 Dualstage inflation airbags
2001 Volvo Safety Concept Car
2002 Extended rollover protection system
2002 Development of the virtual pregnant crash test dummy
2002 Roll Stability Control
2003 IDIS Intelligent Driver Information System delays non critical messages and or warnings
2003 Rear seat belt reminders
2003 New patented frontend structure reduces collision forces
2003 Volvo’s Traffic Accident Research Team in Bangkok
2003 Four different grades of High Strength Steel used in body construction of the S40 model
2003 Reinforced dimentionalized Bpillars reduce the side impact from larger vehicles like SUVs
2004 Water Repellent Glass
2005 Door Mounted Inflatable Curtain convertible model C70
2006 BLIS Blindspot Information System warns of other vehicles in the car’s blind spot
2006 CWBS Collision Warning with Brake Support Preempts a possible collision warns the driver and primes the brakes
2006 ACC Adaptive Cruise Control maintains a set distance from the car in front
2006 PAC Park Assist Camera
Being the foremost in automotive safety what will Volvo come up next to make our driving experience worryfree? What innovations can we expect from their quality Volvo parts? Perhaps a new antiwhiplash system in their cars seat system much like the one from Johnson Controls?
At the 2007 North American International Auto Show held recently in Detroit Johnson Controls a Detroitbased auto supplier introduced its “platinum rearimpact solution” a hightech seat system which aims to help cut whiplashrelated injuries.
A new U.S. requirement is set to take effect on September 1 2008 toughening antiwhiplash standards. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety neck strains and sprains are the most serious injuries reported in 3040 percent of auto insurance claims. Such injuries reportedly cost at least 7 billion a year in the United States.
About the writer: Corey Putton is a 28year old bachelor from Pittsburgh PA who has been around cars for the better part of his life. He now works online and writes all about his passion: cars. He is also a certified mechanic.
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