Volvo EX60 to Launch World’s First Multi-Adaptive Safety Belt
Most of us take seatbelts for granted, until an accident occurs and this life-saving technology does its job. Now, over six decades since Volvo introduced the three-point safety belt, the Swedish automaker known for its exceptional safety technologies is set to again introduce the next phase of intelligent seatbelt design.
Dubbed the first multi-adaptive safety belt in the world, the new tech will debut in 2026 on the electric EX60, a crossover that will slot in below the existing EX90. This multi-adaptive belt has several innovations that further improve the effectiveness of the modern seat belt, but it’ll require Volvo to process more information about each occupant than we’ve seen before.
Seatbelt Tech Adjusts to Your Weight and Posture
No car accident is exactly the same. Whether it’s the direction or speed of the crash, or the size of the individuals in the car, there are multiple variables that impact the efficacy of seatbelts. As most seatbelts function in the same way, they can’t account for these variables, so they can’t provide equal protection in all scenarios – that’s where Volvo’s smart new belt comes in.
Using a range of interior and exterior sensors, the new multi-adaptive belt from Volvo can adapt to different traffic scenarios, while also altering its load settings based on the size and shape of the person behind the wheel. The sensors process data like passenger posture, weight, height, and body shape, as each factor determines how the seatbelt should perform.
In the event of a serious crash, a higher belt load setting is applied if a larger occupant is seated, as this can lower the chances of a serious head injury. On the other hand, smaller occupants in a less severe crash will get a lower belt load setting, as this can reduce the chance of rib fractures.
“The world first multi-adaptive safety belt is another milestone for automotive safety and a great example of how we leverage real-time data with the ambition to help save millions of more lives,” says Åsa Haglund, head of Volvo Cars Safety Center. “This marks a major upgrade to the modern three-point safety belt, a Volvo invention introduced in 1959, estimated to have saved over a million lives.”
For people living in states with more dangerous roads, these new seatbelts can add some welcome peace of mind.
Volvo
Multi-Adaptive Seatbelt Will Get Better Over Time
Thanks to over-the-air software updates, Volvo can continuously improve the new seatbelt over time, based on the amount of data it can analyze. New scenarios can be prepared for and different response strategies developed.
Even in its existing form, the multi-adaptive belt is a vast improvement when compared with other three-point belts. The load-limiting profiles for the new seatbelt have been increased from three to 11.
Volvo says the belt was tested at the Volvo Cars Safety Center crash lab, which has been in existence for 25 years, as of 2025.
Volvo EX60 Design and Platform Previewed Ahead of 2026 Launch
The future EX60 was teased in clay model form earlier this year, and based on the little we’ve seen of it, it will bear a close resemblance to the smaller EX30. It will also be the first Volvo on the brand’s SPA3 platform, which hosts a structural battery integrated into the floor.
At a lower price point than the three-row EX90, we expect the EX60 to be a strong seller for the brand. It will arrive in 2026, likely as a 2027 model.
