Long known as a leader in automotive safety, Volvo was the first automaker to introduce standard three-point lap and shoulder belts almost 40 years ago. Next came its side-impact protection system – SIPS (University of Extrication, May 1997). The 1995 model-year Volvos had the world’s first front seats equipped with standard side-impact airbags (University of Extrication, April 1997).

Now, from “A to Z,” here’s the safety story behind the one new luxury vehicle that points us to the future of automobile design and occupant safety for this country:

• A. Airbag, front – All six airbags use canisters pressurized to 1,390 psi to fill the bag (no sodium azide reactions generating nitrogen gas, as with previous systems). An explosive charge ruptures the canister diaphragm to discharge argon and helium gas into the bag. The “hidden” passenger front airbag has no visible cover door; it tears through the upholstery of the dash.
• B. Battery – A single 12-volt battery is located under the trunk floor in the storage compartment with the spare tire. Cutting the “hot” cable at the red wiring terminal in the engine compartment accomplishes power shutdown.
• B. Body – All body panels are steel, except the hood and trunk lid, which are made of aluminum.
• B. B-pillars – Each B-pillar contains one side-impact airbag crash sensor and a plastic airduct tube with vents and louvers for heating and cooling the rear passenger area.
• C. Capacitor – One storage capacitor provides reserve energy for all six airbags. The estimated capacitor drain time is 10 seconds.
• C. Chassis structure – More than 50 percent stronger than previous models, it surrounds the passenger compartment in a steel cage reminiscent of that protecting a racing stock car driver.
• C. Collision beam – Structural “U”-shaped beam inside all four doors and constructed of boron steel. It may not be able to be cut by chisel, saw or power cutter extrication equipment. It is mounted higher than normally found in auto doors.
• D. Dash – Reinforced from A-pillar to A-pillar by a tubular steel pipe support under the dashboard.
• G. Glass – An option exists for all S80 door windows to be of fully laminated, penetration-resistant glass. Each of these windows consists of two layers of glass with a plastic laminate layer between them. Center punches won’t work with this glass. (The windshield is laminated; the rear window and two quarter windows remain tempered.) Access in an emergency would be through the rear window.
• H. HSLA (high-strength/low-alloy) steel – HLSA steel in the B-pillars, roof rail and rocker channel makes up metal safety cage. HSLA metals are difficult to cut through. Cheap rescue tools won’t even make a dent in this type of reinforced metal.
• H. Hydraulic lifters – The hood and trunk lid use typical hydrau-lic lifters, prone to BLEVE (boiling liquid expanding vapor explosion) failure when over-pressurized by heat.
• I. IC (Inflatable Curtain) – The IC is a long, flat airbag which deploys down from the roof rail and extends from the A-pillar to the C-pillar, covering the front and rear side window areas from the roof to the top edge of the door. One side-impact crash sensor is mounted low on the inside of the B-pillar. A second crash sensor is mounted low on the C-pillar at the seat-cushion level. The IC inflates only on the side where impact takes place. A pressurized gas cylinder contains 95% argon and 5% helium gas that fills the Inflatable Curtain airbag. The cylinder is pressurized to 1,390 psi and is mounted in the D-pillar at the location normally selected by rescuers for cutting through the roof pillar when removing the roof. The front-seat airbag and Inflatable Curtain deploy together if both side-impact sensors activate. If only the C-pillar crash sensor detects impact, only the IC airbag deploys; the front-seat airbags remain loaded. The rollover sensor in the main airbag control module inside the vehicle will activate the IC during a rollover crash.
• P. Pillars – The hollow center areas of the A-, B- and D-pillars can contain rigid Styrofoam material.
• P. Pre-tensionersv – All five passenger seats are equipped with argon/helium pressurized (1,390psi) seatbelt pre-tensioners. Pyrotech-nic charge releases gas to pull slack from seatbelts. Located mid-point of each B-pillar with three pre-tensioners on rear window parcel shelf. When removing roof or B-pillar, cut must be made at extreme top of pillar along roof rail to avoid cutting the pressurized pre-tensioner.
• S. SIPS (side-impact protection system) – The SIPS diverts side crash energy away from occupants. It uses HSLA steel and boron metal components.
• S. SIPS bag – An airbag mounted along the outer edge of each front bucket seat is activated by the electronic signal received from the crash sensors mounted at the base of the B-pillar and C-pillar. The sensors react quickly because the side crumple zone of the automobile is only 10-12 inches. (Note: 1995-1998 Volvo SIPS seat airbags utilize a mechanical pyrotechnic detonator.)
• S. Steering column – The tilt (moves 23¼8 inches) and telescoping steering column (moves 13¼16 inches) has two collapsible elements to absorb impact energy.
• S. Sunroof – The power sunroof structure reinforces the roof and makes a roof-flap evolution all but impossible. Consider total roof removal and use caution cutting the D-pillar to avoid the IC gas cylinder.
• W. Weight – Vehicle gross weight of 3,600 pounds places 57% of the weight on the front wheels, 43% of the total weight on the rear axle. Stabilize at six points.
• W. “WHIPS” seats – The specially designed recliner component of the front bucket seats is used to attach the backrest to the seat base. The WHIPS seat automatically reclines up to 15 degrees to cushion the occupant and avoid head, neck and spinal whiplash injuries in rear-end collisions.

The Volvo S80 may be the safest automobile ever built. At Volvo, safety is a fact of life. It is for fire and EMS responders as well.