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Volvo has always been at the forefront of safety and it's taken various initiatives to make changes that were later standardised in the auto industry. And Volvo has made strides in this department by opening up a Safety Centre crash lab two decades ago. This year it celebrates its 20th anniversary. At the time of its opening by the Swedish king, in 2000, it was one of the most advanced crash labs in the world and in many ways it still is today.
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On average, it crashes at least one brand new Volvo a day
To this very day it helps Volvo Cars engineers to push the envelope in safety and to learn from real-life traffic accidents, as the company aims for a future in which no one is killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo. On average, it crashes at least one brand new Volvo a day
Thomas Broberg, Safety Engineer, Volvo Cars and company veteran said, "Our commitment to safety is about finding out how and why accidents and injuries occur and then developing the technology to help prevent them. We hope our pioneering work will inspire others to follow, our ambition to reduce road traffic casualties world wide."
The Volvo Cars Safety Centre crash lab is a multifunctional facility that allows Volvo Cars safety engineers to recreate countless traffic situations and accidents, and perform tests that go beyond regulatory requirements.
The lab contains two test tracks of 108 and 154 metres long respectively. The shorter of the two is moveable and can be positioned at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees, allowing for crash test at different angles and speeds, or to simulate a crash between two moving cars. Cars can be crashed at speeds up to 120 kmph.
Outside, there is room for performing tests like roll-over crashes and run-off road scenarios, whereby cars are launched into a ditch at high speeds. Here, Volvo Cars also offers rescue services opportunities to hone their life-saving skills, as it did earlier this year when it dropped new Volvos from a height of 30 metres to simulate the heavy damage found in extreme crash scenarios.
All the data generated by these test is then used by Volvo's engineers to develop safer cars.
Inside the main hall, an enormous crash barrier is used for testing various frontal, rear and side impacts. Weighing an astonishing 850 tonnes, it can be moved around if needed with the help of air cushions.
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Additionally, there are around two dozen other fixed and movable barriers that are used in crash testing, including a moose-like structure to simulate crashes involving these animals.
During crashes, the car, the crash test dummies and the barriers are fitted with sensors that allow Volvo Cars engineers to register the entire chain of events in detail. Dozens of ultra-high definition cameras also film the crash test from every angle imaginable.
Before a physical crash test, the car model in question has already gone through thousands of computer simulated crash tests. All the data generated by these test is then used by Volvo's engineers to develop safer cars.
As the company moves towards an all-electric future, the Safety Centre has in recent years been equipped and prepared specifically to safely execute electric car crash tests as well.
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