Check Out Volvo's 'Groundbreaking' Crash Test!

From the moment they released the patent of the 3-point seatbelt for free to all car makers, Volvo became the name in vehicle safety. This round, their crash test is groundbreaking in more ways than one. 

In order for extrication specialists to sharpen their life-saving skills, Volvo has dropped 10 different models from 30 metres off the ground with a crane. By simulating the forces of an extreme crash, these professionals can prepare for scenarios beyond simulated crash testing.

The priority is of course to get the passenger(s) out of the car using rescue tools and to the hospital as soon as possible. The ideal one hour window to rescue them is also known as the golden hour. All findings from the crashes and extrication will be collected in an extensive research report. It will be made free to every rescue worker, allowing them to benefit from this unconventional exercise. 

Normally rescue workers get their training vehicles from the scrapyard, but they are usually up to 20 years old - those are nowhere near the structural rigidity of modern cars, not to mention a Volvo, which is made of some of the hardest steel. Such an exercise will keep extrication workers updated with newer car models. 

“Normally we only crash cars in the laboratory. This was the first time we dropped them from a crane,” said senior investigator, Volvo Cars Traffic Accident Research, Håkan Gustafson.