2026 Volvo EX60 Debuts New Seatbelt Design That Adapts to You
Volvo is introducing a new seatbelt design that it says is a major safety improvement over the modern three-point safety belt.
The new design is a smart seatbelt that uses sensors to adapt to your body and will use OTA updates to improve over time.
The new smart-belt design will make its debut on the upcoming EX60 electric crossover SUV.
When Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin invented the modern three-point safety belt in 1959, the company patented the invention but left the patent open—meaning it was available to every other manufacturer for free. The decision, according to Volvo, has saved more than one million lives in the intervening 66 years. Now the company is debuting a new version of the three-point seatbelt that it believes is a major improvement over the original.
Volvo
The new design will be a smart belt that adapts to each occupant's body and adjusts the belt load accordingly. It uses data from interior and exterior sensors to customize protection based on the road conditions and the specific occupants. The technology will debut on the upcoming EX60 crossover.
According to Volvo, the onboard sensors can accurately detect a passenger's height, weight, body shape, and seating position. Based on real-time data, the belts optimize protection—increasing belt load for larger passengers or lowering it for smaller passengers. While the technology for customizing protection isn't new—Volvo's current belts already use three load-limiting profiles—the new belts increase that number to 11. The belts should also get safer over time, too, as they are equipped to receive over-the-air updates.
Volvo
A spokesperson for Volvo confirmed that while Volvo led the development of the new belt, the patent for the technology is co-owned by Volvo, and ZF Lifetec, the manufacturer that produces them. While the automaker says it will continue sharing research findings, the spokesperson told Car and Driver that Volvo "cannot commit to sharing the patent at this stage but will continue exploring."
Jack Fitzgerald
Associate News Editor
Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
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