Volvo has always been known to be the automaker producing the safest cars in the world. The automaker's motto, "Volvo for life" is attributed to the reliability and safety of their cars. Volvo's company symbol, (which could represent either the male symbol, the symbol of Mars or the metal related to the planet Mars, iron; in fact, the same symbol) actually refers to iron ore, and stands for "Rolling Strength."
Thanks to Wikipedia, here is a chronological list of the security features Volvo has implemented and continues to implement over the years in their cars:
&bull 1944 Safety cage
&bull 1944 Laminated windscreen
&bull 1959 Three-point safety belts in the front
&bull 1960 Padded dashboard
&bull 1964 Prototype of the first rear-facing child safety seat
&bull 1968 Head restraints in the front
&bull 1969 Three-point, inertia-reel safety belts in the front
&bull 1970 Establishment of the Volvo Accident Research Team
&bull 1972 Three-point safety belts in the rear
&bull 1972 Rear-facing child seat and childproof locks in the rear
&bull 1973 Collapsible steering column
&bull 1974 Energy-absorbent bumpers
&bull 1974 Fuel tank located ahead of rear axle
&bull 1978 Child booster seat
&bull 1982 Anti-submarining protection in the front and rear seats
&bull 1982 Wide-angle door mirrors
&bull 1984 Anti-lock braking system
&bull 1986 High-level brake light
&bull 1986 Three-point safety belt in the centre rear seat
&bull 1987 Driver airbag
&bull 1990 Integrated child booster seat
&bull 1991 SIPS (Side-Impact Protection System)
&bull 1991 Automatic height adjustment of the front safety belts
&bull 1993 Three-point, inertia-reel safety belts standard in all seats
&bull 1994 Side airbags
&bull 1997 Rollover Protection System (convertible models)
&bull 1998 WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System)"reclines" the seat on impact to protect the spine and neck
&bull 1998 Inflatable curtain
&bull 2000 Volvo Cars Safety Centre in Gothenburg
&bull 2000 ISOFIX attachment system for all child seats
&bull 2000 Dual-stage inflation airbags
&bull 2001 Volvo Safety Concept Car
&bull 2002 Extended rollover protection system
&bull 2002 Development of the virtual pregnant crash test dummy
&bull 2002 Roll Stability Control
&bull 2003 IDIS (Intelligent Driver Information System) delays non critical messages and or warnings
&bull 2003 Rear seat belt reminders
&bull 2003 New, patented, front-end structure reduces collision forces
&bull 2003 Volvo's Traffic Accident Research Team in Bangkok
&bull 2003 Four different grades of High Strength Steel used in body construction of the S40 model
&bull 2003 Reinforced & dimentionalized B-pillars reduce the side impact from larger vehicles like SUVs
&bull 2004 Water Repellent Glass
&bull 2005 Door Mounted Inflatable Curtain (convertible model - C70)
&bull 2006 BLIS (Blindspot Information System) warns of other vehicles in the car's blind spot
&bull 2006 CWBS (Collision Warning with Brake Support) Preempts a possible collision, warns the driver and primes the brakes
&bull 2006 ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control) maintains a set distance from the car in front
&bull 2006 PAC (Park Assist Camera)
Being the foremost in automotive safety, what will Volvo come up next to make our driving experience worry-free? What innovations can we expect from their quality Volvo parts? Perhaps a new anti-whiplash system in their cars' seat system, much like the one from Johnson Controls?
At the 2007 North American International Auto Show held recently in Detroit, Johnson Controls, a Detroit-based auto supplier introduced its "platinum rear-impact solution" - a high-tech seat system which aims to help cut whiplash-related injuries.
A new U.S. requirement is set to take effect on September 1, 2008 toughening anti-whiplash standards. According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, neck strains and sprains are the most serious injuries reported in 30-40 percent of auto insurance claims. Such injuries reportedly cost at least $7 billion a year in the United States.