We joke about cars becoming more advanced and talk about how annoying software updates can be, but Volvo is taking things to another level. Its new smart seatbelt system will arrive in the new EX60 EV in 2026, offering the ability to adapt to passengers’ bodies and improve safety.
Volvo’s adaptive seatbelt system monitors passengers’ height, weight, body shape, and seating position to more accurately tighten itself during a crash. The system also takes data from interior and exterior vehicle sensors to determine the severity and direction of the impact. Volvo’s new EVs sport an array of advanced safety tech, so the seatbelts will have plenty of data to work with.
The most interesting part about it, however, is that Volvo will issues over-the-air updates for the system, so owners will eventually be downloading new seatbelt features. Volvo worked with German company ZF on the seatbelts, which it says also uses AI to help optimize performance during a crash. The belts can keep up with traffic conditions and tension itself accordingly, and the new design offers better safety for a wider range of passenger body types.
While the new seatbelt system will debut in the EX60, it will likely make its way to the rest of the Volvo lineup without delay. The automaker has a goal of reducing traffic fatalities to zero, and a smart seatbelt system is a great tool to help achieve it.
[Images: Volvo]
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