Safe Space Technology

Everything we put in a Volvo car is designed to help create a safe space in and around our cars. Technology helps us do just that*.

Helping protect you in a crash. And actively helping prevent one.

Data, a new safety belt.

From a single patent

We once shared a life-saving idea – the three-point safety belt. Now we're taking the next step with help of real-time data, with the ambition to save another million lives.

To billions of data points

With insights from real-world driving, AI and over-the-air updates, our latest cars can predict risks, adapt and evolve — helping to protect people in ways that weren't possible before. Like a new kind of safety belt, built from data.

Sensing technology that looks out for you, inside the car and outside of it.

Driver Understanding

Humans are great drivers. But sometimes, we have off days. In those moments, this award-winning system, available in select models, can help detect distraction and impairment. Combined with external sensor data, your car is designed to determine when to intervene.¹

Clay visualisation of a Volvo car parked in a parking space. Within the car sits a blue dog on the middle seat.

Occupant Sensing

It's human to forget. That's why our full-cabin Occupant Sensing², available in select models, is designed to help you avoid leaving loved ones behind. The interior radars can sense submillimetre scale movement, such as the soft breathing of a baby.

Advanced sensor setup

Your extra set of eyes on the road. Our advanced sensor suite, featuring for example cameras, radars, ultrasonic sensors and lidar³, provides a real-time, high-precision view of your surroundings.

Technology that looks out for you

Advanced driver assistance systems. Making everyday driving easier.

360 degree camera

Park with confidence. Front, rear and side high-resolution cameras provide a 360° bird’s-eye view, giving you total awareness when parking. See every angle and navigate tight spaces with ease with the optional 360 degree camera.

Park Pilot Assist

Glide into any parking spot. This intelligent system, available in select models⁴, scans for spaces, then takes over steering, acceleration and braking to effortlessly park your car.

Collision avoidance

Helping you avoid collisions with vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists and large animals. With audible, visual and brake pulse warnings, your Volvo alerts you to danger. It can also brake or steer automatically to help prevent or mitigate collisions.

Lane keeping aid

Stay safely in your lane with built-in support. If you drift over a lane marking without signalling, your Volvo can alert you with subtle steering wheel vibrations. And gently steer you back to your lane.

Run-off road mitigation

Stay on track with Run-off road mitigation. If you drift over the outer lane marking at 65–140 km/h, your Volvo can gently steer you back or brake when needed to keep you safe.

Cross traffic alert

Reverse with ease, even in low-visibility situations. Cross traffic alert⁵ detects approaching vehicles behind you and provides warnings. Your Volvo can even automatically brake to help prevent a collision.

Blind Spot Information System (BLIS)

Enhance awareness with BLIS⁶. If a vehicle enters your blind spot or approaches quickly, a door mirror light alerts you, and your Volvo can gently steer you back to stay safely in your lane.

Even the best drivers deserve a safety net

Speed cap

Drive safer with a smart speed cap. Since 2020, all new Volvo cars have a 180 km/h speed cap. Plus, the Care Key lets you set an extra limit when lending your car to a friend, family or new driver.

Safety cage

Reliable protection when it matters the most. Our strong safety cage, made with high-strength steel, shields you and your passengers. Crumple zones absorb impact forces to help reduce the risk of injury in a crash.

Airbag

Cushioning life when it really matters. From torso airbags to inflatable curtains, our innovations have helped shape occupant protection — with activation intelligently based on real-life crash studies.

Stay one step ahead with Connected Safety

If a connected Volvo car in your area has come across slippery road conditions or has its hazard warning flashers activated, you'll be alerted of what's ahead through Connected Safety⁷. The information appears in the driver display and in the optional head-up display.

Minimalist 3D render of an electric car charging at a wall-mounted charger outside a house with the lights on inside.

Shielded battery, safer drive

Confidence in every charge

Power up with safety at the core. Our high-voltage batteries use advanced cooling technology to prevent overheating during charging.

Fortified for collisions

In our fully electric cars, the high-voltage battery is safely embedded beneath the floor, in the centre of the car’s body structure. It’s protected by a dedicated battery safety cage, an integrated part of the frame that applies the same principles we use to protect occupants. This design helps enhance protection in a wide range of crash scenarios, including different directions of impact and types of collisions. In our plug-in hybrids, the battery is also placed in the middle of the car, centrally under the floor. It benefits from the same protection of the occupant safety cage.

Explore our electric range

Frequently asked questions

How does Volvo’s lidar technology enhance safety?

Our integration of sensing technology provides high-resolution, real-time 3D mapping of the vehicle's surroundings. Lidar technology is available as standard in the EX90 and as optional in our ES90. Our mix of various sensing technology allows for precise detection of objects, even in low-light conditions, enhancing the vehicle's ability to anticipate and respond to potential hazards.

What is Volvo’s Driver Understanding?

Our Driver Understanding is designed to support you when you need it the most. Using sensors and a capacitive steering wheel, it subtly monitors your gaze and hand positioning to recognise when extra assistance might be helpful. Humans are great drivers. But sometimes, we have off days. In those rare moments, this award-winning system can help detect distraction, drowsiness and impairment. And combined with external sensor data, your car is designed to determine when to intervene. It’s a reassuring backup, helping make every journey safer.

How does Volvo help ensure pedestrian and cyclist safety?

We prioritise pedestrian and cyclist safety through advanced detection systems, such as Collision Avoidance, that use radar and camera technology to identify and monitor movements around the car. If a potential collision is detected, the system warns the driver and can automatically apply brakes to help mitigate or avoid impact. What's more, our ES90 and EX90 can also apply automatic emergency steering to help avoid collisions.

What is Volvo’s Speed Cap technology and why is it important?

In 2020, we introduced a speed cap limiting all new vehicles to a top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph) to promote safer driving. Our goal is to reduce the risks associated with high-speed driving and start a wider conversation about speeding as a traffic safety issue. Lower speeds give drivers more time to react when the unexpected occurs, helping to make roads safer for everyone.

Powered by Safe Space Technology

¹Driver Understanding is only available in the EX90 and ES90. A similar feature, called Driver Alert, is available in the EX30.
²Occupant Sensing is available in the ES90 and EX90. Please contact your local dealer for the latest information.
³Lidar is only available in the EX90 and ES90.
⁴Park Pilot Assist currently available in the Volvo EX30. More models to follow. Please contact your local retailer for the latest information.
⁵Cross traffic alert is a standard feature in the EX30, EX90 and ES90. It is available as optional in all other models.
⁶BLIS is a standard feature in the EX30, EX90 and ES90. It is available as optional in all other models.
⁷Slippery road alert and Hazard light alert are standard in all Volvo cars across Europe, USA and Canada (except for the EX30).

*Volvo Cars’ safety features complement safe driving practices and are not intended to enable or encourage distracted, aggressive or otherwise unsafe or illegal driving. Ultimately, the driver is responsible for the safe operation of the vehicle at all times. Described features may be optional and availability may vary from one country, model and platform to another.