Looking for a car brand that is synonymous with safety? Fret no more, because Volvo Cars is there to brighten up your day.
This European car manufacturer is known for many technological innovations that incorporate safety features in their designs. Founded in 1927 in the city of Gothenburg in Sweden, Volvo (“I spin” in Latin) was a spin-off from the roller ball bearing manufacturer SKF. Until 1999, Volvo was operated by AB Volvo, until it was acquired by the Ford Motor Company and became part of its Premiere Automotive Group. Volvo is now in the same boat as the Land Rover, Aston Martin, Jaguar and other luxury vehicle makers.
Since the 1940's, safety has become a buzzword for Volvo Cars. It started with the introduction of the laminated glass in the PV model. The PV series also were the first to use what Volvo termed a “safety body”. Volvo designers also pioneered the “safety cage” and “:crumple zone”. In it, passengers are protected in a strong, encircling frame; the energy of the collision is absorbed by the bonnet's or the boot's destruction.
The three-point seatbelt was also invented by Volvo. The seatbelt was introduced in 1957 and became standard equipment for all Volvo cars two years later. Other car makers followed suit, the seatbelt became accepted safety equipment and millions were saved from possible harm by this gadget.
Padded dashboards for cars were introduced by the company in the late 1950s. Also, the pioneer rear-facing child seat was launched in the late 1960s while booster seats became available by 1978. In the mid-eighties, the first central high-mounted stoplight was introduced. It became federally mandated in the United States starting from the 1986 model year.
In the early 1990s, the Volvo 960 pioneered the middle of the rear seat three-point seatbelt, and a child safety cushion was introduced in the middle armrest. It was also the same time period that the Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) was introduced. SIPS diverted the force and shock of a side collision away from the doors and into the safety cage. Another innovation, the Whiplash Protection System (WPS) - which protected front seat users from injury during collisions - was launched in 1998. in 2004, Volvo came up with the BLIS system, wherein the system (a side view mirror mounted with a sensor) alerted the driver of a vehicle entering the Volvo's blind side via a light signal. That year also saw all market sold Volvos equipped with side-marker lights and daytime running lights.
Volvo is also known for its three number naming system for its models. The first number in the naming system was the series; the second, the number of cylinders and the third, the number of doors. In later models, Volvo have dropped the meaning for the final digit. But the three digit naming system is still in use today albeit with a few modifications. Volvo now uses letters to denote the model's function (V for versatile, S for saloon, C for coupe, XC for cross country) with the second number being the series. The last digit was added by Volvo to distinguish its cars from other car manufacturers.
When it comes to quality cars,
Volvo parts and with safety in mind, only one car brand comes into mind: Volvo. Are you owning one now?
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