Volvo Gives Credit to Steel for Enhanced Safety in Volvo V50

The Volvo V50 uses steel to deliver safety enhancements to this compact sportswagon. Following is an excerpt from Volvo’s December 4, 2003 press release, giving credit to steel’s contributions towards improved safety in their newest vehicle.

New Volvo V50 - Compact sportswagon with enhanced safety levels

• New, patented frontal structure with several crumple zones
• Four steel grades interact for optimal deformation
• Side-impact protection system design is similar to the Volvo S80
• Frontal design with integrated protection for other road users
• Strong seats help to reduce the risk of injury in rear-end collisions
• 34% increase in torsional rigidity compared with the Volvo V40
• Unique intelligent driver information system – IDIS
• Keyless Drive – a key-less locking/unlocking system
• Volvo On Call and Emergency Service System

Volvo V50’s steel safety cage

The Volvo V50 is a compact sportswagon which is both enjoyable to drive and flexible to use. What is more, it offers an enhanced level of safety – both protective and preventive. Like the new S40, the Volvo V50 has avery stiff body, a patented frontal structure and a comprehensive interior safety system, creating a vehicle with excellent safety characteristics.

PROTECTIVE SAFETY
Crumple zones with different grades of steel
”Our new compact models, the V50 and S40, have been developed to comply with rigorous safety targets,” says Ingrid Skogsmo, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. In a compact car body, the preconditions for efficient deformation are different from those of a large body. As the necessary deformation is absorbed within a shorter total distance, the properties of the various materials must be exploited to the maximum in order to absorb as much of the energy as possible.

The frontal body structure of the Volvo V50 was divided into several zones, each with a different task in the deformation process. The outer zones are responsible for most of the deformation. The closer the collision forces get to the passenger compartment, the less the materials deform. “The objective is that the passenger compartment act in a predictable manner in most types of collision,” explains Ingrid Skogsmo.

In order to give each zone the relevant properties, the quality of the steel varies. Four different steel grades are used. In addition to conventional bodywork steel, three different grades of high-strength steel are employed: High Strength Steel, Extra High Strength Steel and Ultra High Strength Steel The zonal system enables the collision forces to be absorbed in a highly ingenious and effective manner:

Low-speed deformation zone.
The front bumper incorporates a rigid cross-member made of Ultra High Strength Steel. The attachments to the longitudinal members of the body are designed in the form of ‘crash boxes’. They help to absorb the forces generated by a low-speed collision without damage to the rest of the body structure. These crash boxes can be replaced easily at a reasonable cost.

High-speed deformation zone
The straight sections of the side members are made of High Strength Steel, a very ductile grade of material, which is optimised for high energy absorption. This is the zone that accounts for most of the deformation in a collision. In addition, Volvo has opted to include upper side members in the compact Volvo V50, as they help provide significant occupant protection if the vehicle should collide with a truck platform or a loading pier, for example.

Back-up zone
The section of the member that turns outward toward the A-pillar is designed to act as a barrier for the cabin space and as a back-up to help reduce deformation. The design also helps minimise the risk of the front wheel penetrating the interior. The wheel instead helps to absorb the collision forces. This section is extremely rigid and is made of Extra High Strength Steel.

Three-way attachment
A rigid cross-member connects the A- pillars and lower side members so that they form an extremely rigid three-way attachment on each side. This design plays a vital part in helping to maintain the cabin space in a severe crash. The new front structure is one of Volvo’s many patented safety designs.

PREVENTIVE SAFETY
Stable driving properties
The body of the Volvo V50 is 34 per cent stiffer than that of its predecessor, the Volvo V40, thanks to advanced body design. This torsional rigidity helps to produce stable, predictable behaviour on the road. What is more, the chassis design, with its wide track and long wheelbase, also has a positive effect on driving stability.

• The front track is 1,535 mm (63 mm wider than the V40)
• The rear track is 1,531 mm (57 mm wider)
• The wheelbase is 2,640 mm (78 mm longer)

The suspension is independent, with spring struts at the front and a multilink system at the rear. The rear suspension helps to counteract any tendency to skid.