Back in the late 1950s, Volvo revolutionized car safety by inventing the three-point seatbelt – an invention so effective and essential that the company famously made the patent available to everyone, for free. Decades later, that same design continues to save countless lives, catapulting the Volvo name as the worldwide leader in vehicle safety.
Now, the Swedish marque is pushing the envelope once again, this time with a seatbelt that doesn’t just protect – it also adapts to the shape, size, or weight of the driver or passenger.
Called the multi-adaptive safety belt, the system is designed to adjust itself within a blink of an eye. Set to debut in Volvo’s upcoming EX60 electric SUV, this new tech represents another bold stride in the brand’s long-standing obsession with safety. Developed through countless rigorous crash testing at Volvo’s in-house Safety Center, the belt system is poised to redefine how we think about occupant protection. And since no two collisions are ever the same, a safety feature that adjusts in real time could mean a major leap in survivability.
How The Multi-Adaptive Safety Belt Works
According to Volvo, the system taps into a network of sensors inside and outside the car to analyze a range of factors: passenger size, weight, seating position, even the nature of the crash itself. It then tweaks the belt’s tension and load in milliseconds, before your brain even registers the impact. What used to be just three load settings has now been expanded to 11, allowing for far more nuanced protection.
For instance, in high-force crashes, larger occupants may need stronger belt loads to prevent head injuries, while smaller individuals in milder collisions benefit from softer loads to avoid rib damage. It’s a personalized approach to safety, one that also evolves. Volvo says the system will get smarter over time through over-the-air updates, fed by real-world crash data and continual software refinement.
“This world-first multi-adaptive safety belt is another milestone for automotive safety,” said Åsa Haglund, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Center. “It’s a great example of how real-time data can be used to help save millions more lives.”
As mentioned, the new multi-adaptive safety belt will be introduced in the EX60, previewed briefly in a teaser clip during the ES90 launch. That said, expect Volvo to apply the revolutionary safety tech in its upcoming cars.
The EX60 will be the first model built on Volvo’s next-generation SPA3 platform. Production begins next year, but prototype testing kicks off sooner. As for Volvo’s broader timeline? It’s a busy one. Alongside the EX60 launch, the company is also planning to revive the XC70 badge, signaling a major product push across its EV lineup.
