Volvo has always viewed vehicle safety as a top priority from its founding in 1927 to today. Volvo has been an industry leader in safety advances for more than 80 years.

 

The following are highlights of Volvo safety advances during the last seven decades:

 

1944 – Steel cage created to help protect passenger compartment

 

1959 – Three-point lap/shoulder seatbelts invented by Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin – exclusively introduced in some models

 

1960 – Padded dashboard introduced to soften the impact during an accident

 

1964 – First rear-facing child-seat prototype tested

 

1966 – Front and rear crumple zones introduced

 

1970 – Establishment of motor industry’s first car accident investigation team

 

1972 – Pioneering three-point lap/shoulder belt installed in the rear of all new Volvos; childproof locks appear for the first time

 

1973 – Collapsible steering column introduced

 

1974 – Energy-absorbing bumpers introduced; fuel tank located in front of rear axle for enhanced safety

 

1984 – Antilock brakes (ABS) installed for the first time

 

1987 – First sighting of the now very common driver airbag

 

1994 – World’s first side-impact airbag introduced in new Volvo models

 

1997 – Rollover Protection System (ROPS) makes first appearance in Volvo C70

 

1998 – Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) introduced; inflatable curtain invented to help protect passengers in a side-impact

collision

 

2000 – Volvo Cars Safety Center opened as the world’s most advanced automotive safety center

 

2002 – “Linda,” the virtual pregnant crash test dummy, joins the company

 

2003 – Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS) introduced on S40 and V50 – actively helping avoid accidents; Volvo’s Accident

Research Team in Bangkok set up to analyze data from a different continent

 

2004 – Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) presented for first time

 

2005 – World’s first use of Door Mounted Inflatable Curtain presented in Volvo C70

Volvo’s commitment to safety has gone from seatbelts to airbags to virtual pregnant crash test dummies. The consumer has always been at the center of these safety advances—the individuals, families and loved ones who drive their Volvos on the roadways every day.

 

With an unmatched track record of safety advances spanning more than 80 years, the next 80 years at Volvo are sure to be even more impressive.