Volvo 3CC Safety Ride Down Concept Car

Volvo's latest concept car, the 3CC, is the result of advanced research by the Volvo Monitoring and Concept Centre in California into the future of sustainable mobility, and... is now making its show debut in Detroit with first news of its advanced interior which incorporates a unique innovation for safety in small cars - the Volvo Safety Ride Down Concept.

A key issue for frontal impacts in smaller cars is controlling the occupants' forward motion so that they decelerate to a stop within acceptable limits. A long crash structure increases this stopping distance and reduces G-forces on the human body, so, in order to compensate for the 3CC's compact dimensions, the Volvo Safety Ride Down Concept effectively increases the stopping distance by allowing all the seats to move forward in a controlled manner by up to 20cm, along with the steering wheel and a movable dash panel, to reduce G-forces on the head and torso. This system is also designed to help in rear impacts.

This movement is controlled by adaptive shock absorbers (similar to those used in Volvo's optional Four-C active chassis) that tailor the damping effect to suit the collision force and the weight of any occupants.

The Volvo 3CC Concept

Photo courtesy of Volvo UK

The moving interior also makes it easier to get into the rear of the car. Pressing a button on the door pillar conveniently slides all the seats forward and, in addition, as the doors open by swinging upwards, part of the dashboard panel slides forward to ease ingress and egress.

Despite its compact dimensions - similar to a classic two-seater sports car - the Volvo 3CC has been designed to feel spacious with a unique rear seat solution providing seating for an adult or two children. Inside, the 'fixed eye plane' ergonomics and low profile A-pillar create an open feeling with great visibility aided by three transparent panels in the roof.

"...increasing the stopping distance by allowing all the seats to move forward in a controlled manner..." (see above)

Volvo's approach to safety design is not just about crash test performance, but also about developing innovations which help prevent accidents happening in the first place, as demonstrated by another two new safety features announced at the Detroit show.

Volvo's recent safety developments have focused on preventing accidents and improving the driver's control. Like the IDIS (Intelligent Driver Information System) in the new Volvo S40 saloon and V50 sportswagon, the Volvo CoDriver acts as an intelligent assistant that coordinates information from the car's various systems and the traffic situation to assess the level of distractions facing the driver. It also goes further, using a more comprehensive information system to attempt to sense if the driver is tired or stressed, and if necessary will step in and reduce the burden on the driver by tailoring unnecessary information and activating any relevant help functions.

Emergency Lane Assist

Using both camera and radar, Emergency Lane Assist monitors oncoming vehicles and if the driver does not respond to a buzzer activated when crossing lane markers, automatically applies additional steering force to help steer back into the intended lane.