Steve Mattin, Design Director, Volvo Car Corporation offers, "To me safety is beautiful. Every detail in a Volvo - from the interior ergonomics and the fantastic seats, to the body's powerful shoulders and softly rounded front - are there for safety reasons. This is functionality that goes hand in hand with distinctive design, and it sure looks good." It is the interaction between the different safety systems that determines how safe the car is, not the number of safety features itself:
The Cage of boron steel: In a roll over the extremely sturdy safety cage protects the occupants while the seat belts restrain them in their seats. With frontal safety crumple zones, fore and aff, in the case of either a frontal crash or a rear end collision, the zones absorb the impact and you, as an occupant, are further protected in the boron steel cage with as much crash energy reducing considerably the risk of injury. In a side impact the door and side structure is designed to withstand a severe side impact. The dual chamber air bags in the front seats help protect the occupants chest & hip - the hip chamber inflates with five times higher pressure than the chest chamber to help absorb maximum impact where the body is most fragile. The IC, the inflatable curtain, adds protection for the head and helps keeping the occupants inside the car, both in the front and in the rear. Simply stated, if an accident can not be avoided, you and your passengers are surrounded by a wealth of interacting protective systems. The object to be able to walk away from a severe collision.
Park Assist Front & Rear: This system makes it easier to park in tight places by providing an audible signal in the passenger compartment as a detected object gets closer to the sensors in the front or rear bumpers. This system assist in avoiding running over an object, perhaps a child or tricycle.
Adaptive Cruise Control: ACC is designed for highway use and includes a forward - scanning radar to monitor the time interval between your car and the vehicle in front. It also provides limited braking capacity. Simply set a cruising speed and a time interval and the system maintains it - slowing slightly to maintain distance to the car ahead when necessary.
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS): The Blind Spot Information System uses digital cameras mounted in the door mirrors to keep a lookout on both sides of the car. As a vehicle enters your blind spot, the system alerts you with discreet lights built into both front door posts . Together with the door mirrors, this helps you change lanes safely. BLIS is activated once the car exceeds 6 mph, and reacts to almost any type of vehicle from a motorcycle upward. It works just as well ....day or night.
ABS Brakes with EBA: The anti-lock brakes are designed for optimal performance even during repetitive and intensive use. You can brake hard while steering clear of trouble. Emergency Brake Assistance (EBA) detects an attempted emergency braking and, when necessary, provides added assistance to bring the car to stop in the shortest possible distance.
Collision Warning with Auto Brake:
For highway driving is Volvo's radar and camera based technology that can warn you if you're too close to a vehicle ahead and if a collision can not be avoided, can activate the brakes to help reduce the effects of a crash.
Driver Alert Control (DAC):
is unique technology designed for highway driving and can remind you if you're losing concentration.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW):
monitors your car's position on the road and helps alert you if you unintentionally are crossing a lane marker at speeds over 40 mph.
All Wheel Drive with instant traction:
continuously distributes power to the wheels with the best traction for reassuring stability in a wide range of conditions.
Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC):
helps you maintain traction in aide range of situations and prevents the car from skidding.
Roll Stability Control (RSC):
senses an impending roll-over and brakes one or more of the wheels to help counter roll tendency and helps restore the vehicle's balance.
Active Bi-Xenon Lights (ABL):
expand your vision range by about 230% when you are driving in the dark and improved illumination around curves (optional). [Gas discharge lamp technology (Bi-Xenon) helps you gain 148 ft more for braking when driving n the dark].
Emergency Brake Light (EBL):
senses a panic brake maneuver and starts flashing the brake lights to warn the road users behind.
Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA):
ensures optimal braking power to help you stop the car in the shortest possible distance.
Ready Alert Brakes (RAB):
anticipates an emergency braking to further help reduce the braking distance.
A word about Volvo's past and its future, Volvo's passion for life: Volvo attempts to balance the needs of the company with those of society by looking after our children's children. Volvo develops engines and technology that has less impact on mother earth. Simply put, Volvo cares about you and the whole circle of life. It is no wonder in Sweden that Volvo owner's take pride in their Volvo(s) by retaining ownership for better than nineteen years.
A final word as to safety ....Volvo's mission:
Since 1970 Volvo has investigated over 36,000 automobile accidents. Volvo's Accident Research Team continues to investigate accidents so as to find better ways to save those who ride and drive in a Volvo. It all stated with a whip lash protection system with the result that rear end collision injuries were reduced by 50%. Based on the results of the Volvo Accident Research Team, Volvo established the Volvo Cars Safety Center, an advanced crash laboratory that produces over 45o car crashes each year. Volvo crash tests car to car at different speeds with other kinds of vehicles and road obstacles. The crash center performs frontal impacts, side impacts, roll over tests on and off the highway as well as against Swedish granite rock face. They even simulate impacts with wild animals. Innovations are commonplace. In 1959 Nils Bohlin, a Volvo safety Engineer invented the three point seat belt ...now established as the standard in the entire automotive industry. Because of Volvo's commitment to the environment, Volvo was the first automobile manufacturer to introduce the three way catalytic converter with an oxygen sensor for emission control. Again this Volvo first is the standard of the automobile industry. ......Volvo founders Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson established Volvo's mission in 1928, 80 years of dedication to safety ....."Cars are driven by people. Therefore, the guiding principle behind everything we make at Volvo is - and must remain ...Safety."
