Multi-adaptive safety belt debuts in new EX60 electric SUV

Set for debut in the upcoming electric Volvo EX60, the multi-adaptive safety belt adapts to traffic variations and the person wearing it. It does this by using data input from interior and exterior sensors to customise protection, adapting the setting based on the situation and an individual’s profile, such as their height, weight, body shape and seating position. 

In use, a larger occupant in a serious crash will receive a higher belt load setting to help reduce the risk of head injury, while a smaller occupant in a milder crash will receive a lower belt load setting to reduce the risk of rib fractures.

According to Volvo Cars, this is achieved by increasing the number of load-limiting profile variations, which manage the force applied to the occupants in the event of an accident.

“The world 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,” Åsa Haglund, head of Volvo Cars Safety Centre, said in a statement. “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.”