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| Why Volvo ? |
INFLATABLE CURTAIN |
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| TOP | Since introducing the three-point seat belt almost
40 years ago, Volvo has consistently advanced the cause of automotive safety design with
technological breakthroughs and patented concepts. The Inflatable Curtain (IC) represents
another in this proud line of achievements. IC widens the scope of Volvo's patented Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) technology to new levels of personal occupant protection. This third stage of the SIPS concept is designed to provide increased protection from head injuries for front and back seat door-side occupants. In a side impact, IC, in 25 thousandths of a second, inflates a protective curtain that extends from the windshield pillar to the rear pillar. This protective curtain has been shown to absorb as much as 75 percent of the energy exerted by the head when it is thrown to the side. IC offers an additional benefit beyond helping to protect the head area from an impact. It also reduces the risk of an occupant being partially thrown out through a side window. IC, together with the SIPS structural protection and SIPS air bags, represents what may be the most comprehensive side impact protection of any production automobile in the world. |
