Volvo celebrates birthday of seatbelt inventor Nils Bohlin

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Photo: Volvo

Hariphil Asia Resources Inc. (HARI), the official distributor of Volvo Cars in the Philippines, joins Volvo Cars worldwide in celebrating the birthday of Nils Bohlin, the inventor of the modern three-point seatbelt.

Nils Bohlin, born July 17, 1920, is a Swedish engineer who significantly transformed automotive safety through the invention of the three-point seatbelt, which has been saving millions of lives every year. Bohlin’s three-point seatbelt was introduced by Volvo in 1959, and since then it has remained one of the most significant safety innovations in the automotive industry.

Bohlin’s legacy was further cemented through Volvo’s class act, as it made the patent for the three-point seatbelt available to the entire automotive industry since it has been proven effective in helping save lives in the event of a car crash. This decision reflects Volvo’s long-standing philosophy of putting people first before profit. 

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Photo: Volvo

“At Volvo, safety has never been a feature; it is the foundation of everything we do. As we celebrate the birthday of Nils Bohlin, we honor not only an extraordinary engineer, but also a philosophy that has shaped generations of safer mobility. His invention continues to remind us that true innovation is measured by the lives it protects,” said HARI Vice Chairman, President, and CEO Maria Fe Perez-Agudo.   

Today, Volvo remains committed to integrating its latest model lineup with a comprehensive suite of advanced safety technologies designed to help prevent collisions, mitigate risks, and protect occupants. Volvo aims to continue building on Bohlin’s legacy by creating vehicles designed around people and their safety. 

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Photo: Volvo

Speaking of which, Volvo is developing inclusive safety systems to make its cars safer by providing optimum cabin protection. Among the inclusive safety systems from Volvo is its research on the development of the world’s first computer model of a pregnant crash test dummy. This advanced “virtual” model represents a woman in the later stages of pregnancy when both mother and fetus are most vulnerable to collisions. 

Through this, Volvo and its engineers have a way of studying in detail how safety systems such as seatbelts and airbags protect both mother and child. This testing has been used in all Volvo models since 2002.    

Autocar’s Take

The three-point seatbelt is one of the most essential safety features ever invented, which proves to be as useful and effective to this day. Nils Bohlin’s invention has transformed automotive safety, and its effect is still valuable today despite modern vehicles now coming with advanced tech features. This shows that Bohlin’s three-point seatbelt is a masterpiece and continues to play a significant role in keeping vehicle occupants safer.

As Volvo celebrates Nils Bohlin’s enduring legacy, the brand continues to move closer to its long-term vision of a future with zero collisions. This unwavering commitment to safety is now complemented by an opportunity to make Volvo ownership more accessible through BPI’s exclusive zero percent interest financing offer.

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Martin Aguilar

Martin Aguilar

Martin is a BA Literature graduate from the University of the Philippines Diliman. Aside from his interest in cars, Martin enjoys reading crime novels while drinking black coffee. With over a decade of experience writing about cars, he has explored different sides of the automotive industry. He even gave car review video hosting a try, going by the nickname Kambyo Boy Next Door.