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Volvo Continuing Their Tradition in Safety With the V70
Volvo has always been known to produce cars that almost define safety and this is one of the main reasons why the high ratings achieved by their cars on safety tests come as no surprise. Their priority of safety in their mass produced cars has earned them a large buyer base.
They have employed a large number of safety systems in their cars that few carmakers can match, if none at all. One of their cars’ stronger selling points is their safety and the company is still seeking ways to improve the safety of their customers who are driving their cars. This is very much evident in their soon to be unveiled Volvo V70 which will be competing in the estate car segment that the company has been dominating for years since they invented the segment back in the 1950’s.
Their new Volvo V70, which represents the third generation of the model, is set to be introduced to the public at the Geneva Motor Show. The model is the current leader in the segment and the company looks to cement itself in the top spot by improving the car’s performance and most of all its safety features. “In developing the all-new V70 we aimed to produce the safest car in the segment,” said Ingrid Skogsmo, the Director of Volvo Cars’ Safety Center. The center just recently released a safety system that they have developed aimed to cut down the number of low-speed collision in half.
The Volvo V70’s long list of safety features includes the world’s first ever Improved Child Safety with Extended IC or Inflatable Curtain and Integrated Booster Cushions. The safety system is designed with the safety of a child during collisions in mind. The dedication of the Sweden-based company to produce a car that would effectively protect a child during crashes led to the birth of such safety feature. The system for protecting a child consists of an adjustable booster cushion which is integrated to the seat. This can be later on be adjusted into two different heights depending on the size of the child who will occupy the seat. These booster seats can be also installed on the Volvo V70’s outer rear seats and comes with safety belts that have specially adjusted force limiters that limits the tensioning force to just the right level in cases of crashes.
To further decrease the risk of injury or death of a child on crashes, the inflatable curtains have been extended by 2 1/3 inches. Aside from the inflatable curtain, the Volvo V70 also comes with a complete lineup of airbags on all places where they would be needed in the event of crashes. These include the new side airbags which has two separate chambers - one for the hip and the other for the chest section. The chamber for the hip section inflates with up to five times more pressure than the other chamber due to the fact that the hip area can withstand greater pressure than the chest. These airbags cushions the car’s occupants in the event of crashes just like a Volvo coil spring cushions them from road irregularities.
The Volvo V70 also comes with other safety systems that are being employed by other Volvo cars like the Whiplash Protection System which has been improved to ensure that the occupant’s head remains in contact with the head restraint during rear end collision. The materials used on different areas of the car also help maintain the safety of the occupants in cases of collisions. This technology is developed by the company’s newest design engine called VIVA or the Volvo Intelligent Vehicle Architecture wherein different grades of strength of materials are used in different car areas.
About the Author: Glady Reign is a 32 year old is a consultant for an automotive firm based in Detroit, Mi. she is a native of the motor city and grew up around cars hence her expertise in the automotive field.
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