Volvo Just Invented AI-Powered Seatbelts

• Volvo has revealed its new "multi-adaptive seatbelt" design, which increases occupant safety.
• The new seatbelt adjusts depending on the size and weight of the occupant and uses AI.
• The 2026 EX60 will be the first Volvo to feature this seatbelt, but all subsequent models are likely to follow suit.

Volvo’s reputation is built around safety. It’s the source of many safety innovations, including the three-point seat belt that all cars have today, introduced by Volvo in 1959 as an improvement on the lap strap. That focus is trickier in a world where safety is mandated by strict regulations, but somehow, Volvo manages to stay ahead of the curve.

Now, it’s looking to build on that legacy with a new smart seat belt design that will debut in next year’s EX60 electric crossover.

It’s called the “multi-adaptive safety belt,” and the big thing about it is that it can adapt to the size of the occupant’s body. While seat belts in modern cars already tighten around you to measure you as you set off, Volvo takes it to the next level by also utilizing sensors around the cabin to give the car a more detailed picture of each occupant’s specifics.

Photo by: Volvo

Volvo explains that “a larger occupant in a serious 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.”

With its ability to vary the load depending on the size of the occupant and the severity of the crash, Volvo says it is confident that this new seat belt brings significant improvements over less active designs.

You can think of this system as a much more advanced version of the simple pretensioner, which you can find in most cars built over the last two, almost three, decades. The pretensioner’s role is to tighten the belt in the event of a crash to keep the occupant firmly in the seat, and more recent designs bring some variability in the force with which it tightens, but it can’t adapt in the way Volvo’s new adaptive belt can.

The car will also use artificial intelligence to determine how best to utilize its safety systems, including airbags, sensors and cameras, in conjunction with the new adaptive seat belt to maximize the level of occupant protection. The manufacturer says it will be able to improve the safety of its vehicles over time through over-the-air updates that will implement changes based on data gathered from real-world situations.

With AI analyzing variables such as seat position, the exact specifics of the crash, and the size and weight of the occupant, it can maximize the use of all available safety systems and even predict an accident before it happens, giving the car valuable time to prepare and fine-tune its approach.

This all sounds great in theory, but it will be interesting to see if this system works as advertised out of the box or if having multiple systems working together and controlled by AI will be the source of bugs.

Gallery: Volvo adaptive seatbelt

Volvo is introducing this feature at a time when vehicles are becoming increasingly dependent on their software. It’s a sign that the Swedish manufacturer (owned by China’s Geely since 2010) is embracing the software-defined vehicle (SDV) revolution, which is unfolding in parallel with the switch from combustion to electric power. China is the place where most SDV breakthroughs are happening, and through its connection to Geely, Volvo can leverage this to its advantage.

Vehicles from other Geely brands will likely also eventually get this improved seat belt design, and rival automakers will also begin developing their own versions of it and launch them within the next few years. Volvo cars will still get it first, and, even though Volvo hasn't officially announced it, all its future cars will probably get it as standard.

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