A Happy Ending
No one really buys a car expecting to get in an accident. Years ago I was talking to a car insurance guy about accident frequencies, ‘about once every 12 years’. I don’t even want to go there with thoughts on timing. Here’s a story we just received. The accident was with our first generation C70 [...]
Good Article on Crash Test Dummies
Just think of the abuse these poor sods take on for us carbon based uprights. Every so often I’ll ask one of our Swedish engineers if we can ‘borrow’ a test dummy, usually I need a child one for an event showing how best to protect children. I’ve always gotten the same response, “‘You’re nuts…you [...]
An ELECTRIC event this week in Detroit
I’m at this year’s North America International Auto Show in (really cold) Detroit, where on Tuesday we will unveil a crash tested Volvo C30 DRIVe Electric, the world’s first showing of safety in an electric car. Our focus is to bring the same kind of safety engineering leadership we do with all our cars into [...]
M x A = F regardless of who’s driving
You know, it never ceases to amaze me when people of stature think they are immune to physical laws. I’ve searched online and seems that in Mass x Acceleration = Force there is no missing factor for $ or S (Sense). Governor Lon S. Corzine was hurt in a car accident because he wasn’t wearing a seat [...]
Click and Clack (Car Talk) – NPR
Doug Berman, Tom and Ray’s producer over at NPR, recently sent us the following e-mail. Known around America as the Tappet brothers, they dish out nuts and bolts of automotive wisdom weekly on NPR. Thought we’d share this heartwarming note from one of their listeners. dan ___ From: Lara Date: October 6, 2010 10:07:23 PM [...]
An easy way to get a speeding ticket: Drive an XC60
At least according to Warren Brown, Washington Post automotive writer. I’ve been where Warren has: Lulled out of full consciousness while driving by flashing red lights, in my case talking with a business analyst about Volvo’s brand image at 1:00 am on the 91 freeway in Irvine, CA. I was charged $300 for crossing a [...]
LA Auto Show Was Electric
Been doing this show for longer than I care to remember, and I have never seen such excitement over a single breed of cars. Really, no one expects them to be our saving grace from global warming, but every bit helps. I have never driven one, until last week. Amazing to drive. Quite smooth, and [...]
Real world test of City Safety
I know Bill, and he’s far from an “inept driver” as one commenter alludes to regarding this “2011 Volvo S60: A drivers car that makes better drivers” Boston.com article. Stuff happens, and in this case we saved all the hassles associated with a minor accident. Here is Clifford’s counterpoint to Bill’s piece. To an extent, [...]
Los Angeles Auto Show – Design Challenge
This concept design is stunning. I think the best part is removing safety systems, like heavy energy absorbing structures, instead shifting to preventative systems like we have today (lane departure, collision warning kind of stuff). Today’s alert technologies are just the beginning. In our classic Volvo car collection we have a 1927 PV4 – no [...]
Volvo Saved My Life Club Member
I think you’ve heard me drone on about “How Safe is an Old Volvo?” It’s one of those tough questions that comes up often, mostly from parents who want a car safe for their children to drive. I think one reason we have so many teenage driver accidents is our inadequate driver education system. Simply [...]
