Volvo Car Group (Volvo Cars) keeps moving toward its vision that by 2020 no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo. In 2013, top results from independent rating institutes all over the world emphasized the company remains on top when it comes to automotive safety.
The most recent rating result is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ for the Volvo S80 in the United States. During 2013, sales of Volvo cars equipped with systems for automatic braking also passed the 1 million mark.
“Viewed together, all the top ratings during the past year emphasize our world-leading position in automotive safety. We are very proud to offer consumers some of the world’s safest cars,” says Thomas Broberg, senior safety advisor at Volvo Cars.
Previously, the Volvo S60, XC60 and XC90 received a 2013 Top Safety Pick+ ranking, after IIHS extended its scope by integrating the small overlap test in 2012.
The S80 Top Safety Pick+ results include good performance in the small overlap front test, which replicates what happens when the front corner of a vehicle strikes another vehicle or object, such as a tree or a utility pole – a very severe crash situation. In the test, 25 percent of the front end on the driver’s side strikes a 5-foot-high rigid barrier at 40 mph.
“Our safety cage features a robust design with a blend of different steel qualities. The new IIHS test program confirms the exceptional crashworthiness of this patented solution. Similar mixes of steel qualities are used in all current Volvo models and the technology will be further enhanced in the upcoming models developed on our Scalable Product Architecture,” says Broberg.
2014 IIHS ranking includes crash prevention
During 2013, IIHS extended its scope by introducing a new test program that rates the performance of front crash prevention systems. The Volvo S60, XC60 and S80 equipped with City Safety, Collision Warning with Full Auto Brake, and Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection were among the car models awarded a ‘Superior’ rating in the new test.
The crash prevention evaluation has now been incorporated into the 2014 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating. This means the Volvo S60, XC60 and S80 are among the car models with a 2014 Top Safety Pick+ rating according to this extended scope.
Top score for Volvo auto brake systems in new Euro NCAP test
Euro NCAP has also introduced a test program covering auto brake technologies. The Autonomous Emergency Brake (AEB) tests focus on system performance and include car-to-car rear end collisions within two categories: City and Interurban.
The Volvo XC60 equipped with City Safety was among the top scorers in the City category. The AEB program will be integrated into Euro NCAP’s rating program during 2014.
“We welcome that the major rating institutes are now beginning to integrate collision avoiding technologies into their test programs. This gives consumers a better insight into the advantages of auto brake systems. It will also drive the implementation of these technologies through the vehicle fleet,” says Broberg.
V60 Plug-in Hybrid safest electrified car in Euro NCAP
The Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid also holds on to the highest ever Euro NCAP score for an electrified car. The five stars in the 2012 test, which included a frontal offset collision at 64 km/h (40 mph), demonstrate that the V60 Plug-in Hybrid has the same high safety level as the standard V60.
One million cars with auto brake
Currently all new Volvos except XC90 come with City Safety offered as standard. Most Volvo models are also available with state-of-the-art technologies that detect and brake automatically for cars, pedestrians and cyclists. In July, sales of Volvo cars equipped with these systems for automatic braking passed the 1 million mark – another milestone that confirms Volvo Cars’ world-leading position in automotive safety.
“Several reports have stated that our groundbreaking auto braking technologies help reduce the risk of being involved in a rear-end accident by more than 20 percent,” says Broberg.
Outstanding ranking in Sweden
Volvo Car Group had an outstanding position in the Swedish insurance company Folksam’s 2013 safety report. Four Volvo models – the S60, V60, V70 and S80 – are at the top of the rankings with a 12 percent margin to the next car on the list. The Volvo S60, V60, V70 and S80 are almost 60 percent safer than the average car in the report.
All models in Volvo’s current range are given a top safety recommendation by Folksam. To obtain this recommendation a car must be 40 percent safer than the average car.
“We are very proud of the result. The report is built on accident data and real traffic conditions, which have always been the starting-point for our safety work. We focus on areas where our new technologies create significant results in real-life-traffic,” says Broberg.
Volvo expert received special NHTSA award
Anders Eugensson, director government affairs and key safety strategist at Volvo Cars, was presented with a U.S. Government Special Award of Appreciation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The award was handed out during the 23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles in Seoul, South Korea.
