Volvo doubles down on safety with new adaptive seatbelt tech; EX60 to get it first

KUALA LUMPUR: Volvo is known for its several innovations and world-first inventions, including the three-point safety belt introduced in 1959. Now the Sweden-based automaker has taken a step forward in its safety standards by unveiling the world’s first multi-adaptive safety belt.

What is a multi-adaptive safety belt?

Designed to protect occupants better, the multi-adaptive safety belt adjusts to traffic conditions and the wearer using real-time data from the car’s advanced sensors. It aims to enhance safety in real-world driving situations. The first Volvo car to get this latest safety belt tech is the Volvo EX60 in 2026.

How does the multi-adaptive safety belt work?

• The system uses data input from several sensors installed inside and outside the vehicle and offers customised protection by adapting the settings based on the situation and individual’s profiles, such as weight, height, body shape, and seating posture. 
• It can analyse the unique characteristics of a crash, such as direction, speed, and passenger posture and share it with the safety tech in less than the blink of an eye.
• Based on this data, the system selects the most appropriate setting and offers better protection compared to the traditional systems.

For example, in a severe crash, a larger occupant may get a higher belt load to reduce head injuries, while a smaller person in a lower-impact crash gets a lower load to minimise rib injuries. 

Modern safety belts use load limiters to manage how much force the safety belt applies to the human body at the time of a crash. The multi-adaptive tech expands the load-limiting profiles from three to eleven and increases the possible number of settings, offering optimised performance for each individual and situation.

Supports OTA updates 

The tech will get better over time as it supports over-the-air software updates. As the automaker collects more data and insights, the system will better understand the occupants, new scenarios and response strategies. 

Backed by decades of safety innovation

This ultimate tech is backed by the automaker’s five decades of safety research and a database of over 80,000 occupants involved in real-life accidents. It is part of Volvo Cars’ broader safety ecosystem and works seamlessly with airbags, occupant detection, and driver assistance systems. 

The safety belt has been tested and further developed at the Volvo Cars Safety Centre crash lab, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

“The world's first multi-adaptive safety belt is another milestone for automotive safety and a great example of how we leverage real-time data with the ambition to help save millions of more lives,” says Åsa Haglund, head of Volvo Cars Safety Centre. 

“This marks a major upgrade to the modern three-point safety belt, a Volvo invention introduced in 1959, estimated to have saved over a million lives.”

Also read: Volvo EX90 named “World Luxury Car of 2024” – Here's what sets it apart