VOLVO safety features

So, I'm going to start the series on car safety. I believe that this topic is very important and interesting to discuss. We all know how many people die and maimed on roads each year.This number is just huge, it's much more than the number killed and wounded in military conflicts. How to make the road traffic safer for us and for our environment? How can we make a simple trip to work or to the shopping centre does not become a game of death?

VOLVO's engineers and designers work long and successfully to solve problems of car safety . They had developed a number of different devices and features that enhance the safety of vehicles.

• 1944 Safety cage
• 1944 Laminated windscreen
• 1954 Defroster vents for windscreen
• 1956 Windscreen washers
• 1957 Anchor points for 2–point safety belts front
• 1958 Anchor points for 2–point safety belts rear
• 1959 3–point front safety belts standard
• 1960 Padded instrument panel
• 1964 Disc brakes front
• 1964 First rearward–facing child safety seat prototype tested
• 1966 Rear windscreen defroster
• 1966 Disc brakes all around
• 1966 Dual split triangular braking system
• 1966 Crumple zones front and rear
• 1966 Safety door–locks
• 1967 Safety belt rear seats
• 1968 Head restraints front
• 1969 Inertia reel safety belts
• 1969 Heated rear windscreen
• 1971 Reminder safety belt
• 1972 3–point safety belts – rear
• 1972 Rearward–facing child safety seat
• 1972 Childproof locks on rear doors
• 1972 Warning lights (hazard)
• 1973 Side collision protection
• 1973 Collapsible steering wheel
• 1974 Energy absorbing bumpers
• 1974 Safe location of fuel tank
• 1974 Multistage impact absorbing steering column
• 1974 Bulb integrity sensor
• 1974 Headlight wiper/washer
• 1975 Day running lamps
• 1975 Braking system with stepped bore master cylinder
• 1978 Child safety booster cushion
• 1982 "Anti–submarining" protection
• 1982 Fog lamps front
• 1982 Fog lamps rear
• 1982 Warning lights in opened door
• 1982 Wide angle rear view mirror
• 1984 ABS anti–locking brakes
• 1985 ETC – Electronic Traction Control
• 1986 Brake lights in rear window
• 1986 Three–point safety belt centre rear seat
• 1987 Mechanical safety belt pre–tensioner
• 1987 Airbag – driver
• 1990 Integrated child safety cushion in centre rear seat
• 1991 SIPS – Side Impact Protection System
• 1991 Automatic height adjusting safety belt
• 1992 Reinforced rear seats in estate models
• 1992 Passenger airbag front
• 1993 Three–point inertia–reel safety belts – all rear positions
• 1994 SIPS–bag, side airbag
• 1995 DSA – Dynamic Stability Assistance
• 1995 Integrated child safety cushion outer rear seats
• 1997 ROPS – Roll Over Protection System
• 1998 WHIPS – Whiplash Protection System
• 1998 IC – Inflatable Curtain
• 1998 STC – Stability and Traction Control
• 1998 DSTC – Dynamic Stability and Traction Control
• 1998 EBD – Electronic Brake Distribution
• 2000 ISOFIX anchorages with rearward–facing child safety seat
• 2000 Dual Stage Airbag
• 2001 SCC – Volvo Safety Concept Car
• 2002 RSC – Roll Stability Control
• 2002 ROPS – Roll Over Protection System
• 2002 New integrated child seat 2nd row
• 2002 Lower Cross Member
• 2002 New compatible front design
• 2002 Safe 3rd row seats
• 2002 New Front Structure
• 2003 New Front Structure called Volvo Intelligent Vehicle Architecture (VIVA)
• 2003 Rear seat belt reminders
• 2003 IDIS – Intelligent Driver Information System
• 2004 BLIS – Blind Spot Information System
• 2004 Water repellent glass WRG
• 2005 Introduction of DMIC (Door Mounted Inflatable Curtain)
• 2006 PCC - Personal Car Communicator
• 2006 CWBS - Collision Warning with Brake Support
• 2006 ABL - Active Bixenon Lights
• 2007 ACC - Adaptive Cruise Control
• 2007 PPB - Power Park Brake
• 2007 HDC - Hill Descent Control
• 2007 EBL - Emergency Brake Light
• 2007 DAC - Driver Alert Control
• 2007 LDW - Lane Departure Warning System

To be continued.