Today's topic will start with a story.
If you talk about the development of the history of car safety, I think the invention of the three-point seat belt by the luxury car brand Volvo is definitely a well-known legend, but what you don't know, at the beginning of its birth, it was criticized by everyone.
In 1959, Volvo's Nils Boleyn pioneered the invention of the three-point seat belt, a design that secures the passenger's shoulders, abdomen and hips to the seat through three attachment points. When the vehicle is driving at high speed, if there is an emergency braking or collision with the vehicle or obstacle in front, the passenger's body will instantly leave the seat due to the speed inertia, which will endanger life.
Nils Bohlin
The role of the three-point seat belt is to avoid such tragedies, even after the vehicle collision or emergency braking, the passenger's body will be subjected to a great inertia impact, the three-point seat belt can also play a cushioning role, quickly reduce the inertial impact force, and ensure that the passenger is firmly fixed on the seat, greatly avoiding the risk of flying out.
Nils Boleyn three-point harness was patented in the United States in 1959.
It can be said that the birth of this technology provides the most basic safety guarantee for people's travel, making Volvo the first car manufacturer in the world to incorporate three-point seat belts into the standard configuration.
At that time, car companies were fighting to the death for profits, so if Volvo applied for a patent, according to the current global car ownership, it would be a very staggering royalty, enough to bring Volvo immeasurable profits.
However, Volvo chose to make this patent free of charge under the value of human respect, so as to save more lives.
However, although Volvo opened the patent for the three-point seat belt, it was questioned and resisted by the major car manufacturers at the time. This is because the vast majority of car companies at the time made styling and performance their main selling points, and most people believed that seat belts affected driving comfort.
However, in 1959, Volvo Car Company was the first to equip its PV544 and Amazon series models with seat belts in the driver's seat and front seats, significantly reducing the severity of lower back and head injuries to drivers and passengers in accidents. Due to the remarkable results, seat belts are gradually becoming accepted.
In 1967, a study called "Report on 28,000 Accidents" was published in the United States, which detailed the traffic accidents involving Volvo cars in Sweden in 1966. The report clearly shows that three-point seat belts not only save passenger lives, but also reduce or even eliminate the risk of injury to passengers in more than half of cases.
As a result, three-point seat belts are rapidly gaining traction around the world, and their application is gradually expanding to the rear seats of cars, passenger cars, and even long-distance bus seats.
Not only that, but in 1976, Volvo became the first manufacturer in the world to use a catalytic exhaust air purifier and an oxygen sensor, a palm-sized device that effectively reduces harmful exhaust emissions by 90%. Today, almost all fuel vehicles are equipped with this environmental protection device.
In addition, in the field of safety, Volvo has also pioneered advanced safety technologies or equipment such as cage body, airbags, air curtains, and blind spot information systems, which are widely used in today's automotive field, all of which were adopted by Volvo and widely adopted by the industry, thus establishing Volvo's position as the world's safest car brand.
In 1991, Volvo invented the side airbag.
It can be seen that Volvo's dedication to car safety shows the profound connotation of Volvo's humanistic care.
As the founder of Volvo Cars said: "Cars are driven by people, so at Volvo we do everything we do and must be safe in everything we do." ”
Inheriting the bloodline, the safety of high-end luxury can also be like this
Today, Volvo has been deeply involved in the field of automotive safety for a long time, and the global automotive technology is facing an electrification transformation, and Volvo is gradually facing new challenges in the process, because traditional automotive safety technology alone can no longer meet the needs of consumers.
In particular, in the understanding of high-end luxury models in the era of electrification, compared with traditional cars, the safety experience brought by different technical principles is also different.
Not long ago, Volvo launched its first MPV model, the Volvo EM90, with its 81The pre-sale price of 80,000 can touch the hearts of some car owners However, for this model that focuses on the high-end luxury pure electric MPV market, it can be said that it is still very "real" in terms of safety.
What do you mean by that?The sky is falling, and the Volvo EM90 is on top for you!Although it sounds exaggerated, it is not accidental that I can have the confidence of this sentence.
Generally speaking, MPV models have a relatively loose body structure and are generally not as strong as class sedans and SUVs. In addition, MPVs are more interested in large space, and the front compartment is usually compressed when designed, so that when the vehicle suffers a collision, the collapse space becomes smaller, and the occupants are more likely to be impacted and injured by the collision.
The Volvo EM90 adopts a high-strength cage body design, combined with a variety of high-strength steels, including boron steel, to achieve the strongest torsional rigidity of 36450N·m DEG in its class. It is more than three times that of traditional MPVs, more crash-resistant, and the body is not easy to deform. And in the rollover state, the highest pressure resistance value of 128kn (13 tons) in the same class, even in the face of the extreme operation of large truck rollover pressure, there is a high probability that the whole body can escape.
The new car is equipped with multiple airbags around the cockpit, and its double A-pillar design uses 2 kPa hot-stamped steel reinforcement plates, which effectively reduces the driver's blind spot and reduces the damage caused by pedestrian collisions while maintaining the robustness of the cage safety body.
In addition, for the safety of the third row, the Volvo EM90 uses an integrated die-cast rear aluminum body, which reduces nearly 80 parts, more than 800 welding joints, and a single-sided longitudinal member can withstand 14 tons, providing comprehensive safety protection for the third row passengers.
Volvo, an excellent company with safety as its core concept, is also ahead of the times in the field of intelligent driving.
Volvo EM90 is equipped with Pilot Assist, equipped with two Intel Mobileye EyeQ5H chips, in terms of computing power and processing and adaptability, there is double safety redundancy, hardware also includes seven 8 million pixel cameras, one millimeter wave radar.
In addition, Volvo EM90 is also equipped with more than 10 active safety functions such as forward traffic crossing warning system and door opening warning system to ensure that even if the vehicle is stationary, when the vehicle passing on both sides will affect the door opening of the car and there is a risk of collision, the door opening warning will provide a first-level alarm.
The Volvo EM90 is equipped with the World Tree intelligent safety system, which is based on a new sensor system and a new passive safety system. A variety of sensors and monitoring devices monitor the vehicle's surroundings in real time and automatically adjust the body structure and airbag layout according to the situation to minimize the damage to passengers in a collision. In particular, in order to enhance the safety of the side, Volvo adopts the original ten-square grid side design of the lower keel, which makes it very rigid and safe.
In addition, for the most "fragile" battery link of electric vehicles, Volvo EM90 is equipped with a battery temperature control system and 5G cloud BMS intelligent monitoring, which realizes 24/7 monitoring of battery status, bringing a full sense of security to drivers.
In the safety accidents of new energy vehicles, many are related to batteries, so Volvo regards the battery safety protection system as very important. Volvo has established a solid barrier in the field of battery safety through the triple battery safety protection system and the hard-core advantages of the integrated design of the battery pack and body.
In particular, the application of its fire propagation technology and 5G cloud BMS system monitoring function has achieved 24/7 monitoring, precise prevention and millisecond-level power failure, thus adding another guarantee to driving safety.
Looking at the EM90 up close, the quality is reflected in the details
It can be said that the EM90 pays tribute to Volvo's legendary model Duett launched back in 1953, and it also became the first pure MPV model in the history of the Volvo brand, especially the number sequence of "90" in its name also indicates its flagship car identity.
It can be said that Duet combines the spacious passenger space of a station wagon, the comfort of a sedan and the loading capacity of a van, becoming a popular utility vehicle, so it was also one of the first Volvo cars to be exported to the United States, and in 1997 it was printed on Swedish stamps, becoming a classic. Today, this legendary model is still highly sought after by car collectors and enthusiasts alike.
So it's not an exaggeration to call it a prototype of the Volvo MPV.
Revisiting the EM90, it is designed to faithfully embody the classic characteristics of Scandinavian aesthetics, showing grandeur and power, while setting a new benchmark for modern luxury.
The so-called Kandinavian design, which focuses on the ingenious combination of modernity and tradition, mechanization and handicraft, rationalism and human touch, the external style is simple, elegant, bright, and refreshing. At the same time, the rational use of natural materials and highlight the texture characteristics of the material itself. Paying attention to the unity of form and function, it not only emphasizes the practicality of the product's high rationalism, but also injects rich humanistic connotation and care into its design.
Therefore, based on this design concept, Volvo wants to reflect that whether it is the exterior of the car or the interior design, it pursues simplicity and naturalness, and creates "luxury" in it.
In terms of body color, EM90 has four colors: gilt sand, sea gray, crystal white, and agate black, of which gilt gold is Volvo's new exterior color, and they all have different inspirations**, such as gilt gold comes from the beach in the sun.
EM90 follows the design of the front face of the Volvo family, the Nordic galaxy dynamic grille is composed of 115 asymmetrical ripple-shaped digital dot matrix, ** inlaid with the family's iconic T-shaped Thor's hammer headlights, and the main light group is equipped with intelligent matrix headlights with adaptive high beam function. When the vehicle starts, the headlight cluster is dynamically lit, and the starlight of the front grille is gradually lit up, giving it a sense of ceremony.
On the side, the new car is very square overall, and its waistline is very straight and regular. Visually, the new car adopts the popular floating roof design, and the C-pillar has a small surface to bring a little sportiness to the vehicle body, which is also full of design.
In addition, through the above design measurements, the drag coefficient of this new car has reached 0270cd, which is almost close to the ceiling for an MPV vehicle.
In terms of rear design, the ** model abandons the traditional "Viking Axe" taillight shape, but has the courage to learn from urban architectural aesthetics, and innovatively launches urban light and shadow dynamic taillights.
It's worth mentioning that if I don't say you wouldn't believe that the design of this tail light has something to do with China, yes, it was inspired by the night view of Lujiazui, as if in the night, the Shanghai Tower and the swaying reflection on the Huangpu River complement each other.
It can be seen that EM90 may be a pure electric MPV model tailored for China's high-end market. Therefore, in terms of details, it is closer to the needs and concepts of the Chinese market. Nowhere is this more evident than in interior design.
It can be said that in the entire interior design of EM90, the simple and natural "Scandinavian living room" is completely moved directly into the car, creating a movable living space for users.
In terms of design, the new car adopts a T-shaped layout, in which the narrow and small full-LCD instrument panel on the console and the central control screen with a super-large longitudinal layout are dual-screen, and the style is very technological and minimalist.
It is worth noting that the design of the Volvo EM90's color atmosphere lamp is inspired by the Nordic natural scenery, and the designer has carefully selected five unique scene atmosphere modes of Scandinavia, including the Nordic Aurora, the Archipelago Sunset, the Nordic Forest, the Midsummer Light Year and the Midsummer Night, which fully demonstrates the cold aesthetics of the Nordic style.
The new three-spoke multi-function steering wheel is very simple, with driving control and multi-function buttons on both sides, plus the embellishment of black veneer, which is quite compatible with the style of the vehicle interior.
In addition, the new car also introduces Chinese aesthetics, the inspiration of the solid wood bamboo grain translucent trim is in the mottled bamboo shadow, the sunlight through the bamboo forest, casting the mottled bamboo shadow, like a picture full of antique flavor.
In addition, there is an easter egg here, on the far right of the bamboo ornament, there are several rows of mysterious arrangements, it is actually the Morse code, which represents the word "volvo" after interpretation, isn't it interesting?
The new car adopts a small-sized instrument, and its UI interface inherits the simple style of the family, and can be linked with the large central control screen to display navigation and ** page, improving the safety of driving.
Then we look at intelligence, for a model that dominates smart family travel, EM90The intelligent interaction center of the entire cockpit is in this 154-inch central control screen, which is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 chip, with 5G network, touch and drag are very silky.
In addition, the car adopts a new version of the system, which has been optimized for the specific functional configuration of MPV models, and has an exclusive small interface for operating the entire cockpit door and seat. And in terms of functional configuration, it basically covers the most advanced Internet of Vehicles function at this stage, and the navigation is a customized AutoNavi map, with charging pile search and other functions.
In terms of gear lever, the new car uses the crystal gear lever of the Orishi brand, although this is more common on Volvo models, but the EM90 uses 360° three-dimensional polishing technology, which makes the crystal look more transparent and clean, and it feels more rounded.
In terms of audio, the new car is equipped with a 21-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system with an output of 2,460W with QuantumLogic?Immersion surround sound, consistent with many of Volvo's flagships, is still not absent from the palace-level ** hall.
In terms of materials, EM90 continues to adhere to Volvo's consistent environmentally friendly style, the interior still uses environmentally friendly materials and water-based paint, the cabin does not use animal leather, and all materials are skin-friendly and low-carbon.
It should be mentioned here that for safety reasons, the EM90 does not use zero-gravity seats, but replaces them with ergonomic aviation seats designed with a 7-layer structure, which also has zero-gravity pressure-relieving foam, with a thickness of more than 120 mm, and a high-density vibration damping layer for good comfort and support.
In terms of function, the seat provides adjustment of seat angle, leg rest adjustment, massage, ventilation, heating, and a lot of the same, inside the side armrest, embedded in the folding table, it is a texture that can be hovered steplessly, heavy in the hand, and the metallic luster is also very translucent.
In addition, 156Inch rear cabin smart screen supports multi-angle electric adjustment,The remote control operation method used,It mainly provides the function of the entertainment part,And if you want to connect to a mobile phone,It also supports wireless screen projection and other functions,It can bring more learning cost to rear passengersRiding entertainment experience。
In terms of power, Volvo EM90 is built on the SEA vast architecture platform, and the permanent magnet synchronous single motor made of silicon carbide material provided by Zaweirui has a maximum power of 200kW, a peak torque of 343N·m, and a power consumption of 17 per 100 kilometers2kwh/100km。
As for the battery, it is mated to a 116kWh battery pack, with a CLTC range of 738km. It is worth mentioning that the EM90 also comes standard with dual-chamber air suspension and CDC damping, which is also a guarantee of luxury.
Write at the end
While most luxury car brands value the body itself, Volvo has turned this concept on its head, putting the driver and passengers first. Taking the EM90 as an example, it not only improves driving comfort by satisfying the "five senses" of human beings, but also takes the safety concept to the extreme. This "luxury rule" upheld by Volvo will surely be favored by some high-end users.
However, who will be the ultimate owner of it?I wish it was you.