Seatbelt safety breakthrough: Volvo’s new software updateable belts to debut on EX60 electric SUV

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Volvo has announced what it’s claiming is a world first in seatbelt safety which will debut in the upcoming EX60 electric mid-size SUV. Volvo refers to the innovation as a “milestone for automotive safety” which aspires to “help save millions of lives”.

The Swedish carmaker has long been synonymous with safety. Volvo was the first company to fit modern three-point seat belts as standard equipment in 1959, with Volvo Engineer Nils Bohlin credited with its design — the principles of which are still in use today. 

Modern conventional seat belts use three load-limiting profiles, which uniquely determine the force exerted onto an occupant during a crash. This is accomplished by releasing seatbelt tension in a controlled manner when a set force threshold is exceeded.

Volvo claims it has increased the number of load-limiting profiles for its new seatbelt from three to eleven, by use of real-time data collection and processing. Rather than purely mechanical load limits, the new design adapts using electronic data collected from sensors inside and outside of the car. 

Vehicle direction and speed, along with passenger posture, help the occupant restraint system find the most appropriate setting. 

Volvo claims its system adapts to the individual, accounting for variables such as height, weight, body shape and seating position. This data will hopefully reduce the risk of head injury and rib fractures in a crash. 

But the rabbit-hole of data processing in this new restraint system goes deeper than just real-time information. Volvo says all vehicles fit with the system will also receive over-the-air software updates to further improve safety.

This means any data collected from car park bumps and major crashes to driver characteristics including height, weight and posture, will be processed, analysed and distributed to help your future restraint system learn autonomously. 

Yes, in the future, your seatbelt really is getting homework. 

More information regarding the Volvo EX60

Little information is available surrounding the EX60, aside from what kind of seat belts it will use. What is known is that the EX60 is a dedicated electric, mid-size SUV which will replace (or augment) Volvo’s outgoing XC60 — its global best seller. 

The EX60 is confirmed for Australia, although exact launch timing has not yet been revealed. It slots neatly into Volvo’s all-electric lineup between the EX40 and EX90, and will be the first Volvo car built on a new modular SPA3 platform.

Volvo originally claimed it would offer an all electric line-up by 2030, but now plans for 90-100 percent of its vehicles to be either dedicated electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids, with the remaining being mild hybrids.