In the late 1950s, a Volvo engineer changed the automotive world. The carmaker introduced the 3-point seatbelt. That simple, life-saving design became the gold standard for safety. Volvo famously opened up the patent so other automakers could use it, royalty-free. The move likely saved over a million lives and turned the Swedish automaker into a safety icon.

Now, Volvo is doing it again

For 2026, the company will launch what it calls the world’s first “multi-adaptive” safety belt. This next-gen upgrade debuts in the fully electric Volvo EX60. It’s designed to make seatbelts smarter, reacting not just to crashes, but also to each unique occupant.

Here’s how it works: real-time data from both interior and exterior sensors tells the car about crash conditions, like speed, angle, and occupant position. The belt then adjusts its tension and load-limiting strategy based on that information.

So if a tall driver in a serious accident needs more force to reduce head movement, the belt provides it. Meanwhile, a smaller passenger in a mild crash gets gentler restraint to avoid chest injuries.

It’s a big step up from traditional systems, which typically offer just three load-limiting settings. Volvo’s new belt boosts that number to eleven, it shared in a press release, giving the system far more range to personalize safety.

The brains behind this upgrade come from decades of research.

The carmaker has a crash database with real-life information on more than 80,000 occupants

The automaker used that knowledge to build what it calls the Volvo Cars Safety Standard.

This internal benchmark often goes well beyond what government testing requires. It’s also the backbone of the brand’s inclusive approach to safety. The company says it aims to protect people of all sizes, ages, and genders. Not just the average male crash test dummy.

The company says the system is also “future-proof.” Thanks to over-the-air updates, the multi-adaptive belt can learn and improve over time, just like your phone’s software. As Volvo gathers more crash data, the system refines how it responds to new scenarios.

This new belt doesn’t work in isolation. It’s designed to sync with the car’s other safety features, like airbags, driver assistance tech, and occupant detection systems. All of it works together to offer tailored, real-time protection.

The technology was put through its paces at the Volvo Cars Safety Centre, a crash lab that turns 25 this year. Engineers there can simulate nearly any car accident scenario, giving Volvo an edge when it comes to real-world testing.

With the EX60’s launch on the horizon, Volvo isn’t just reminding the world that it invented the modern seatbelt. It’s proving that even a 65-year-old safety idea can still evolve, while other automakers watch and learn.