THE Volvo celebrates its 90th birthday this year (NDR: at the date of original publication of this article). That's why it has come to remember its history, which highlights moments that determined not only the brand's path but also the industry itself.
Of course, innovations dedicated to car safety stand out, and among them is the three-point seat belt, safety equipment that is still indispensable today.
This month marks the 55th anniversary (NDR: at the date of this article's original publication) of the patent registration of the three-point seat belt. Nils Bohlin, a Swedish engineer at Volvo, got the United States Patent Office to award him patent No. 3043625, in July 1962, for the design of his seat belt. And like all good design, his solution was as simple as it was efficient.
His solution was to add to the horizontal belt, already used, a diagonal belt, forming a “V”, both fixed at a low point, positioned laterally to the seat. The aim was to ensure that the seat belts, and of course the occupants, were always kept in place, even in the event of an accident.
Assar Gabrielsson & Gustav Larson - Founders of VolvoCars are driven by people. That's why everything we do at Volvo must contribute, first and foremost, to your safety.
Interestingly, even though the patent was only approved in 1962, Volvo had already fastened the three-point seatbelt on the Amazon and PV544 in 1959.
The commitment to car safety that Volvo has demonstrated since its founding was demonstrated a few years later, by offering the patent to all car manufacturers.
In this way, all cars, or better, all car drivers and occupants, could see their safety increased, regardless of the brand of car they were driving.