Volvo's safety tech to reduce spine injury in accidents

Swedish car maker, Volvo is known to provide the highest levels of safety equipments in their vehicles. It is one car manufacturer that spends significant amounts on R & D to make their already safe cars even safer for the passengers as well as others. A new safety tech - run-off road protection package, will feature (for the first time on any car) on the new XC90 SUV.

Run-off road is an accident type caused by driver inattentiveness, fatigue or poor weather conditions. Spine injuries are common in such scenarios.

This run-off road protection includes two crucial aspects: First, when the car's sensors detect that the vehicle has veered off the road, the front safety belts electrically tighten to the maximum, to ensure that the occupants remain in position. The safety belts can retract 100 mm safety belt in 0.1 seconds. Then, to avoid spinal injuries, the seat and seat frame deforms mechanically to cushion vertical forces which may be experienced when the car lands hard on the terrain. By ensuring that the occupant is in an upright position, along with the cushioning provided, it can reduce vertical forces by up to one-third. This will reduce the possibility of the most common spine injuries caused due to the impact.

Volvo has simulated 3 tests - 'Ditch' - designed to replicate bouncing movement, 'Airborne' - designed to replicate a hard landing after an impact and 'Rough terrain' which creates a bumpy ride that produces substantial lateral rolling motions. For these tests, 'Thor' - the most advanced crash test dummy is used, equipped with flexible shoulder area to create a more human-like movement in a run-off road scenario.

These new technologies developed by Volvo are in tandem with the company's vision where it claims that no one will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo in 2020.