After launching three new car models in 2000, Volvo Cars is now taking a major step further into the future. The main theme of the Volvo Safety Concept Car (SCC) is "superior vision". However, the car also employs a variety of technologies that enhance personal security and improve passive safety systems. The SCC thus points the way to a new dimension in research and development into car safety.

"With the quick pace of technological development, we are constantly gaining access to smaller yet more powerful computers, new sensors and so on. Volvo's approach is to utilise the breakthroughs in an intelligent and sensible way. We combine advanced electronics with new materials and new mechanical design solutions to create customer benefits." says Hans Gustavsson, head of purchasing and product development at Volvo Cars.

The Volvo SCC is built for the eye — not in terms of aesthetics alone, but because the car has been designed around the driver's eye to ensure better vision and visability.

The Volvo SCC also automatically sets the right driving position, regardless of the driver's build, based on the position of the eyes. When the driver gets in the car, IR sensors and cameras sense the position of the driver's eyes and put the driver's seat in the position that offers optimal visibility. The steering wheel, floor, pedals and centre console are then adjusted to provide the best possible ergonomics and comfort. The driver thus enjoys the best overview of what is happening both outside the car and on the instrument panel.

When driving in town or at an intersection, the beam can be made shorter and wider to illuminate a larger area close to the car. When driving straight ahead on the highway or motorway, the beam can be extended. When the car is entering a corner, the light can be directed through the corner to illuminate the whole of the road during this manoeuvre. If the driver steers the car into a curve, the beam can be directed along the track of the curve to light up the entire road as the car changes direction.

In the exterior rearview mirrors and rear bumper, there are sensors that warn the driver about traffic that is approaching in a "blind spot". The driver is warned by visual yellow signals in the exterior rearview mirror if a car is in or close to a "blind spot".

If the driver is planning to make a lane change and there is a car just outside him or approaching quickly from behind, the red warning light in the exterior rearview mirror and an acoustic signal are activated when he switches on the indicator. Simultaneously, the picture from the side-view camera is shown in display one, in front of the driver.

The SCC has a light amplifier based on infrared light. When driving in the dark, a black-and-white image is projected onto a glass display on the top of the dashboard. It shows what is concealed in the area and is not illuminated by the headlights. It is for example possible to detect something that is concealed between a dazzling oncoming vehicle and your own car, such as a pedestrian without reflectors.

Providing all passengers with the best possible protection in an accident is one of the cornerstones of the Volvo Cars safety philosophy.

In this context, the SCC has several new features that may find their way into forthcoming models. This includes two prototypes of 4-point safety belts, building on the tradition that Volvo started when they created the original 3-point seat belt design. The 3-point belt is considered to be one of the single most important safety-enhancing features in a car.

The X4 CrissCross harness is a conventional 3-point safety belt that is supplemented with a retractable diagonal chest belt that goes from the shoulder to the hip. The regular 3-point safety belt is put on first, followed by the additional chest belt. Since the system forms a cross-brace across the chest, the shoulders are located securely so that the occupant is kept more firmly in place if the car rolls over or is hit from the side. The cross-brace across the seat occupant's chest also helps distribute incoming crash forces across chest-cage more evenly.

The Centre Buckle V4 belt is similar to the harness used in competition cars and for child seats. The belt retracts into the seat's frame when not in use. The upper attachment points are located near the seat occupant's shoulders and the lower anchorages are on the left and right of the hips. The belt, which is V-shaped, is worn over the shoulders like backpack straps once the occupant is in the seat, and is fastened securely with a buckle across the pelvis and hips. The belt secures the shoulders to effectively hold the body in position in a rollover accident.

The rear seat has two cushions which can be raised and lowered electrically. The height of the cushions is adjusted steplessly to match the child's height exactly in relation to belt geometry, comfort and visibility from the car. To ensure that even slightly smaller children have a comfortable position for their legs, the front of the cushion can be folded down with a quick turn of the wrist.

The Volvo Personal Communicator and the car communicate automatically — with or without the driver being involved — and the car can be individualized using personal settings.

The remote control unit, which has been developed into a Volvo Personal Communicator (VPC), is the basis for the personal security system and is an example of the way in which Bluetooth technology can be harnessed in future-generation cars. The VPC was developed in cooperation between Volvo Cars and Swedish companies Fingerprint, Combitech, and Humpf Design.

The system makes it possible to unlock and start the car without the need to activate the remote control unit. All the driver has to do to unlock the door is to grasp the door handle. The car sends a signal to the VPC which the driver is carrying, and the VPC transmits the unit's identity code. If this is correct, the door is unlocked, which initiates further communication between the VPC and the car, so that the car can automatically adjust settings to the driver's predetermined preferences.

The VPC is personalised via a built-in fingerprint sensor. After that it can be programmed with a variety of personal settings, including which doors should be unlocked, settings for the driver's seat, steering wheel and mirrors, and even preset destinations for the navigation system.

A heartbeat sensor registers both human and animal heartbeats when the car is parked. The sensor is activated if anyone breaks in and hides inside the car, or if a child or pet is left inside by mistake. If the driver is more than a 100 metres from the car, the VPC can still communicate — via a cellphone, PDA, or even a computer.