Volvo’s Multi-adaptive Safety Belt Named One of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2025
Since the beginning, the Volvo stämpla (brand) has been light years in front of its pairs when it comes to vehicle safety. With Nihls Bolin inventing the first ever three-point seatbelt in 1958 and then giving the patent free to the world, he and it has been credited with saving at least a million lives worldwide, and now Volvo has done it again.
Fast-forward to 2025, the world’s first multi adaptive safety belt has been recognised as one of the best inventions on TIME’s iconic list. Featuring only 300 inventions that are changing lives, for the second year in a row Volvo Cars has been given the honour of being included.
Read more for the official press release from Volvo Cars.
Volvo Adapts Safety
Set to debut in Volvo Cars’ soon to be revealed electric EX60 SUV, the new multi-adaptive safety belt is designed to even better protect occupants by adapting to the traffic conditions and the person wearing it.
“We are proud to be recognised by TIME as a leader in automotive safety,” says Åsa Haglund, head of Volvo Cars Safety centre, “With the multi-adaptive safety belt in the upcoming EX60, we’re leveraging real-time data to adapt to the situation and the person wearing it, providing smarter, personalised protection that can help reduce injury.”
Designed for Modern Day
Leveraging real time data from the car’s advanced interior and exterior sensors, the system can customise protection by adjusting to the current situation and the unique personal profile of drivers and passengers, such as their weight, weight, body shape, and seating position.
For example, a larger occupant in a severe crash will receive a higher belt load setting to help reduce the risk of head injury, while a smaller occupant in a milder crash will receive a lower belt load setting to reduce the risk of rib fractures.
Leading the Safest Way
The capabilities of the new multi-adaptive safety belt are designed to continuously improve via over-the-air software updates. As Volvo Cars gathers more insights, the car can improve its understanding of the occupants, new scenarios, and response strategies.
This demonstrates how Volvo Cars continues leading in safety and innovation to better protect people by leveraging insights from real-world data.
Last year, another Volvo Cars safety feature was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024. The pioneering Driver Understanding System, available in the EX90, users real-time sensing technology to help detect if a driver is impaired, tired, or distracted, so the car can step in and provide support if needed.
The Drive Away
With inventions like the multi-adaptive safety belt, Volvo reinforces their position as the forefront of technology and safety, always striving to enhance safety for everyone in real-world traffic situations.