Volvo introduces new ‘multi-adaptive’ seatbelt tech to improve in-car safety
A new seatbelt device developed by Volvo will use sensors to better adapt to passengers’ profiles and aims to bring dramatic safety improvements...
Volvo has pioneered a new ‘multi-adaptive’ seatbelt that could bring significant improvements to in-car safety.
The belt will use data input from interior, exterior and crash sensors that analyse an occupant’s height, weight, body shape and seating position in order to better adapt to an individual’s profile and apply a corresponding level of force in the event of an accident.
According to Volvo, a larger occupant in a serious crash, for example, will receive a higher level of force to reduce the risk of head injury, while force will be less intense for a smaller passenger in a milder crash, to help reduce the risk of rib fractures.
Exterior sensors will also analyse the situation outside of the car, taking into account variables such as direction, speed and passenger posture, so that the belt will respond to the severity of the crash.
Today’s belts use ‘load limiters’ which control how much force the seatbelt exerts on a passenger during a crash. These belts have three different settings, but Volvo’s new multi-adaptive belt nearly quadruples that to 11. Based on the data gathered from the sensors, the new belt will select the most appropriate setting.
Regular over-the-air software updates will allow the device to continuously improve as Volvo gathers more and more data.
The Swedish firm is credited with having pioneered the use of the three-point belt, which arrived in 1959 and is estimated to have saved more than a million lives, according to Volvo.
Expected to arrive in 2026, the new belts will first feature in the upcoming Volvo EX60, the all-electric counterpart to the XC60.
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