Volvo unveils world-first multi-adaptive safety belt, debuting on EX60

Volvo Cars has launched its multi-adaptive safety belt, a world-first technology that will debut in the fully electric Volvo EX60 SUV in 2026.

Designed to offer personalised protection, the multi-adaptive safety belt uses real-time data from the vehicle’s sensor suite to adjust tension and force based on the occupant’s size, posture, and the severity and direction of a collision.

“This marks a major upgrade to the modern three-point safety belt, a Volvo invention from 1959 estimated to have saved over a million lives,” said Åsa Haglund, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “It’s another milestone in our mission to help save millions more.”

Unlike conventional systems that offer only three preset load-limiting profiles, Volvo’s new belt offers eleven adaptive profiles and dynamically selects the most appropriate force setting using data from both interior and exterior sensors.

The system processes information in milliseconds, tailoring response to crash speed, angle, passenger size, and seating posture. A larger occupant in a high-impact crash could therefore receive greater belt force to prevent head injuries while a smaller person in a mild collision would get lower force, reducing risk of rib fractures.

The belt’s capabilities will also improve over time via over-the-air updates, enhancing occupant profiling and response strategies as more data is collected.

“This technology is about learning, adapting and saving more lives,” said Haglund. “And it’s only possible by combining our deep safety expertise with new data-driven technologies.”