Volvo Car Group launches external, car-enveloping airbag technology

April 1, 2013: Volvo Car Group (Volvo Cars) has unveiled the External Vehicle Protection (EnVeloP) system.

The External Vehicle Protection system consists of a small container built in the roof of the car, which contains a folded-in, vacuum-pulled balloon of a similar material to existing airbags. In case of an unavoidable collision, whether it is with another car, a roadside object or even when coming into contact with surface water, the balloon unfolds within the blink of an eye around the car. By completely enveloping the car, the External Vehicle Protection system ensures that damage and personal injury as a result of the collision is minimised.

Volvo Cars has a long history of leading automobile safety research and innovation, exemplified by many breakthroughs and world-firsts. With this new, revolutionary External Vehicle Protection solution, Volvo Cars takes this heritage up to the next level.

"For years, we have been looking at how to increase safety in our vehicles, and the airbag has played a central role in that journey," says Thomas Broberg, Senior Technical Adviser Safety at the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. "This new safety feature is the embodiment of the Volvo brand philosophy, Designed Around You. All we did was taking a very literal approach to Designed Around You. Instead of finding new areas inside the car where we could add more airbag-like safety systems, we asked ourselves: why not cover the complete car in an airbag-like solution?"

At this moment the External Vehicle Protection system is still in a testing phase, but Volvo Cars is investigating whether the system can be fitted in future Volvo cars.