Car safety

Volvo Cars has been a leader in the field of car safety for decades. That will never change. It’s our vision that no one should be seriously injured or killed in a new Volvo car.

A car crash test at Volvo Cars’ safety centre in Gothenburg.

We have invented some of the most important features in the history of car safety. And there’s more to come.

Volvo Cars’ collision avoidance system graphically illustrated.

Driver assistance systems

In addition to occupant protection features such as airbags and crumple zones, we have added driver assistance systems that can help avoid and mitigate collisions. These systems also support you with manoeuvring or parking.

Car safety features. In the event of an unavoidable collision, we have the technology to make a real difference.

A Volvo car body where all airbags are inflated.
A Volvo car seat in brown leather.
A Volvo car body where all airbags are inflated.

Airbags

Airbag technology has changed a great deal since it was introduced, and Volvo has been one of the key players with innovations like side airbags and inflatable curtains. Today, our cars feature a range of airbags designed to help protect the occupants in the event of a collision.

A Volvo car seat in brown leather.

Car seats

Our car seats are made to ensure safety and comfort. The energy-absorbing functionality between the seat and seat frame helps reduce spinal injuries, and the built-in whiplash protection system helps reduce the risk of whiplash injury.

A rearward-facing child car seat with a young girl sitting in the back seat of a Volvo car.

Child safety

Child safety in our cars has always been a guiding principle at Volvo Cars. That’s why we have remained at the forefront of child safety and research since the 1960s, with innovations such as the rearward-facing child seat and dual-stage integrated booster cushion.

Improvements for road safety

Speeding, intoxication and distraction are three obstacles on the road to zero fatalities in our cars. Therefore, we aim to address these key challenges with new and existing safety innovations.

Speed cap

To send a strong signal about the dangers of speeding, we reduced the top speed of all our new cars to 180 km/h in 2020. We are also looking at how smart speed control and geofencing technology could automatically limit speeds near schools and hospitals in the future.

Highway pilot

With support from LiDAR sensors, the next generation of Volvo cars will be hardware-ready for autonomous drive. And over time, we will push out over-the-air software updates to provide fully autonomous highway driving.

Driver monitoring cameras

To help address intoxication and distraction in traffic, we are working on new in-car solutions. Driver monitoring cameras, together with other sensors, will allow the car to intervene when a clearly intoxicated or distracted driver risks serious injury or death.

Care Key

We’ve recently introduced the Care Key, aimed at addressing speeding. With the Care Key, Volvo car owners can put a speed cap on the car when lending it to a younger family member or less experienced driver as a way of ensuring a safer ride.

One of the car crash survivors in Volvo Cars’ “A million more” campaign.
Volvo Cars’ EVA initiative – a humanoid shape, consisting of small light particles.

Sharing our research to make cars safer for everyone

Some people are less safe on the road than others. That’s why we’re sharing our safety research in the E.V.A. database - open for anyone to download. For everyone’s safety.

A safety belt in grey with the text “Since 1959” engraved on the buckle.

Decades of innovation

Ever since our founding in 1927, we’ve been designing cars that put people first. Discover our most important safety innovations over the years.

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 safe operation of the vehicle at all times.