Volvo Reinvents the Seatbelt: Smarter and More Adaptable
Canal Motor
Monday, 13 October 2025, 15:05
Volvo Cars, the Swedish brand, is universally recognized as a pioneer and innovator par excellence in automotive safety. This status is not only based on its current products but also on a historical legacy that has transformed road safety on a global scale, benefiting all manufacturers and, most importantly, saving millions of lives.
The brand's most defining milestone is the invention of the three-point seatbelt in 1959 by Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin.
This invention is, by far, the automotive safety device that has saved the most lives in history.
Following this trajectory, the company has just "reinvented" its multi-adaptive seatbelt, which will debut in the upcoming all-electric Volvo EX60 SUV, an element selected by the prestigious TIME as one of the best inventions of 2025.
The award, which places Swedish innovation among the 300 most extraordinary that will transform our lives, marks the second consecutive year that Volvo Cars has made it onto TIME's influential list.
The new multi-adaptive seatbelt is designed to take protection to a higher level, intelligently adjusting to two crucial factors: traffic conditions and the unique profile of the person wearing it.
Åsa Haglund, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre, expressed the company's pride in this recognition. "With the multi-adaptive seatbelt in the upcoming EX60, we leverage real-time data to adapt it to the situation and the person wearing it, providing smarter and more personalized protection that can help reduce injuries," Haglund stated.
Other Volvo Inventions
1972: The Rear-Facing Child Safety Seat. Based on the principle that children's heads are disproportionately heavy compared to their bodies, this design became the foundation of modern child safety.
1991: SIPS (Side Impact Protection System). The first integrated system to protect occupants in the event of a side collision, absorbing energy and moving the passenger away from the impact zone.
1998: WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System). A system integrated into the seats that reduces the risk of severe neck injuries in rear-end collisions.
The system uses the vehicle's advanced interior and exterior sensors to gather key data about the driver or passenger, including their height, weight, body shape, and seat position. This way, it can customize protection in the event of an accident.
For example, the system adjusts the seatbelt load differently depending on the physical build. If a larger occupant experiences a severe accident, the seatbelt load adjustment will be higher to mitigate the risk of head injuries. Conversely, if a smaller occupant experiences a milder accident, the system applies a lower load adjustment to reduce the possibility of rib fractures.
The new safety feature is not static. Its functions are designed to continuously improve through over-the-air software updates. As Volvo Cars collects more real-world driving data and situations, the vehicle will refine its understanding of occupants and new situations, creating even more precise response strategies. This underscores Volvo's commitment to remain a pioneer in innovation, harnessing the potential of information extracted from real data.
This new technology follows in the footsteps of another Volvo innovation included in TIME's list last year. The innovative Driver Understanding system integrated into the Volvo EX90 and ES90 uses real-time detection technology to determine if a driver is distracted, tired, or incapacitated, allowing the vehicle to intervene with support if necessary.
The world debut of the Volvo EX60, the all-electric SUV that will first use the multi-adaptive seatbelt, is scheduled for January 21, 2026, during an event that will be broadcast live from Stockholm, Sweden.
