Safety Firsts
Safety Firsts
In 1927, when Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson drew plans for their first motor car, they envisioned a car with all the attributes of a 'modern' vehicle design... plus safety. Their belief that good design includes good safety is still practiced today in Gothenburg, Sweden, headquarters of Volvo Cars.
Through the years, Volvo has produced safety features designed using extensive research of real-world accidents. In 1972, Volvo formed an Accident Investigation Team to study accidents involving Volvos. To date, the team has researched more than 20,000 individual accidents, resulting in significant improvements in automobile safety design such as the world's first production application side-impact air bags.
Volvo Safety Milestones
- 1959 Volvo becomes world's first carmaker to fit three-point safety belts as standard
- 1966 Triangular-split dual circuit brake system
- 1970 Volvos Accident Research Team established to investige traffic accidents
- 1986 Three-point safety belt at rear seat centre position - world's first
- 1991 SIPS
- 1994 SIPS bag
- 1998 IC (Inflatable Curtain)
- 2002 RSC (Roll Stability Control)
- 2004 DMIC (Door Mounted Inflatable sips bag for Convertibles)