Volvo updates seatbelt design for a better fit
Sino-Swedish car maker, Volvo, has improved upon the traditional seatbelt with a design that improves crash safety performance.
New multi-adaptive safety belt – exploded view
It will debut in the upcoming EX60 due out next year. The safety belt update caters its crash response according to the occupant's shape and size.
Volvo pioneered the use of the three-point safety belt but its new 'multi-adaptive safety belt' goes a step further. It uses sensors to analyse an occupant's height, weight, body shape and seating position and responds accordingly in the event of a crash.
Multi-adaptive safety belt customises protection for different people in different scenarios.
A larger occupant will receive a higher belt load, Volvo says, to reduce the risk of head injury. But the belt will respond less severely to smaller passengers to lessen the impact on their ribs.
The system – developed along with ZF Lifetech – will also respond differently according to the nature of the impact. It harvests data from sensors around the car in milliseconds to determine how much force the seatbelt should apply.
Today's seatbelts feature three 'load-limiting profiles'. Volvo's new device ups that to 11.
Volvo reckons that with over-the-air software updates, the system will 'get better over time'.
As Volvo gathers more crash safety data, 'the car can improve its understanding of the occupants, new scenarios and response strategies'.
Volvo Cars Safety Centre Crash Lab
Åsa Haglund, who runs Volvo Cars' Safety Centre, said: '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 more lives.
'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.'
The new seatbelt's unveiling marks the 25th anniversary of the Safety Centre.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Autocar
20 hours ago
- NZ Autocar
Volvo updates seatbelt design for a better fit
Sino-Swedish car maker, Volvo, has improved upon the traditional seatbelt with a design that improves crash safety performance. New multi-adaptive safety belt – exploded view It will debut in the upcoming EX60 due out next year. The safety belt update caters its crash response according to the occupant's shape and size. Volvo pioneered the use of the three-point safety belt but its new 'multi-adaptive safety belt' goes a step further. It uses sensors to analyse an occupant's height, weight, body shape and seating position and responds accordingly in the event of a crash. Multi-adaptive safety belt customises protection for different people in different scenarios. A larger occupant will receive a higher belt load, Volvo says, to reduce the risk of head injury. But the belt will respond less severely to smaller passengers to lessen the impact on their ribs. The system – developed along with ZF Lifetech – will also respond differently according to the nature of the impact. It harvests data from sensors around the car in milliseconds to determine how much force the seatbelt should apply. Today's seatbelts feature three 'load-limiting profiles'. Volvo's new device ups that to 11. Volvo reckons that with over-the-air software updates, the system will 'get better over time'. As Volvo gathers more crash safety data, 'the car can improve its understanding of the occupants, new scenarios and response strategies'. Volvo Cars Safety Centre Crash Lab Åsa Haglund, who runs Volvo Cars' Safety Centre, said: '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 more lives. '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.' The new seatbelt's unveiling marks the 25th anniversary of the Safety Centre.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
Dairy Industry Greenwashing Under Fire As Lawsuits Go Global
Press Release – Greenpeace Greenpeace Denmark has this week filed a formal complaint against Arla – Europes largest dairy producer – accusing it of 'systematic greenwashing.' The world's biggest dairy companies are facing a growing wave of legal action over misleading claims. Greenpeace Denmark has this week filed a formal complaint against Arla – Europe's largest dairy producer – accusing it of 'systematic greenwashing.' The case follows a similar lawsuit by Greenpeace Aotearoa against Fonterra, the world's largest dairy exporter, over false claims on Anchor-brand butter packaging. 'This is part of a global trend targeting greenwashing in the intensive livestock sector,' said Amanda Larsson, spokesperson for Greenpeace Aotearoa. 'Companies like Arla and Fonterra market themselves as climate leaders, while hiding highly polluting practices and lobbying against environmental protections.' Greenpeace Denmark has submitted a formal complaint to the Danish Business Authority – the regulatory body in Arla's home country – backed by extensive documentation showing that the dairy giant has significantly overstated its CO reductions. Arla claims to have cut supply chain greenhouse gas emissions by 13 per cent since 2015. However, according to the complaint, nearly half of that reduction occurred suddenly in 2016 when the company changed its calculation methodology without adjusting the baseline accordingly. Greenpeace Denmark argues that this methodological shift not only misleads consumers but also breaches financial reporting laws in both Denmark and Sweden. Arla's emissions reporting was previously criticised by Swedish media in 2022, after which the company pledged to review this issue. Yet two years later, Greenpeace Denmark has found that Arla's 2024 annual report still relies on the misleading baseline to present its emissions reductions. Greenpeace Sweden has also lodged two formal complaints against Arla. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, Greenpeace is suing Fonterra for promoting its butter as '100% New Zealand grass-fed,' despite allowing up to 20% of cows' diets to include imported palm kernel – a product linked to deforestation. 'We think shoppers would be shocked to know that the block of 'grass-fed' butter they pick up at the supermarket could actually be linked to the destruction of orangutan habitats,' says Larsson. 'Misleading claims like this are a real punch in the guts to people who are trying hard to do their part by shopping ethically – it's time for dairy giants like Fonterra and Arla to face the consequences.' These actions mark an escalation in global legal efforts to hold the livestock industry accountable. Last year, Danish Crown was found guilty of misleading pork ads, while a case against meat giant JBS in New York was dismissed. Still, the trend is clear: Big Dairy and Big Meat are under increasing scrutiny for false climate and environmental claims.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
Dairy Industry Greenwashing Under Fire As Lawsuits Go Global
The world's biggest dairy companies are facing a growing wave of legal action over misleading claims. Greenpeace Denmark has this week filed a formal complaint against Arla - Europe's largest dairy producer - accusing it of "systematic greenwashing." The case follows a similar lawsuit by Greenpeace Aotearoa against Fonterra, the world's largest dairy exporter, over false claims on Anchor-brand butter packaging. "This is part of a global trend targeting greenwashing in the intensive livestock sector," said Amanda Larsson, spokesperson for Greenpeace Aotearoa. "Companies like Arla and Fonterra market themselves as climate leaders, while hiding highly polluting practices and lobbying against environmental protections." Greenpeace Denmark has submitted a formal complaint to the Danish Business Authority - the regulatory body in Arla's home country - backed by extensive documentation showing that the dairy giant has significantly overstated its CO reductions. Arla claims to have cut supply chain greenhouse gas emissions by 13 per cent since 2015. However, according to the complaint, nearly half of that reduction occurred suddenly in 2016 when the company changed its calculation methodology without adjusting the baseline accordingly. Greenpeace Denmark argues that this methodological shift not only misleads consumers but also breaches financial reporting laws in both Denmark and Sweden. Arla's emissions reporting was previously criticised by Swedish media in 2022, after which the company pledged to review this issue. Yet two years later, Greenpeace Denmark has found that Arla's 2024 annual report still relies on the misleading baseline to present its emissions reductions. against Arla. Meanwhile, in New Zealand, Greenpeace is suing Fonterra for promoting its butter as "100% New Zealand grass-fed," despite allowing up to 20% of cows' diets to include imported palm kernel - a product linked to deforestation. "We think shoppers would be shocked to know that the block of 'grass-fed' butter they pick up at the supermarket could actually be linked to the destruction of orangutan habitats," says Larsson. "Misleading claims like this are a real punch in the guts to people who are trying hard to do their part by shopping ethically - it's time for dairy giants like Fonterra and Arla to face the consequences." These actions mark an escalation in global legal efforts to hold the livestock industry accountable. Last year, Danish Crown was found guilty of misleading pork ads, while a case against meat giant JBS in New York was dismissed. Still, the trend is clear: Big Dairy and Big Meat are under increasing scrutiny for false climate and environmental claims.
