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Category: Features Explained
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With a proportion of around 20%, side-on collisions are the second most common type of crash after frontal collisions. In the event of a side-on collision in a car, there is little possibility of absorbing energy by means of material deformation.
To protect car occupants involved in these collisions, the Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) was developed by Volvo in 1991. Volvo has an excellent reputation for safety innovation, for example, laminated windscreens, the modern 3-Point Safety Belt and the central high-mounted stoplight.
SIPS is designed to channel the force of a side impact away from the doors and into the car’s safety cage. It works by having the driver and passenger seats mounted on transverse steel rails, rather than being bolted to the floor. In the event of a side impact, these transverse rails allow the seats to crush a reinforced centre console. SIPS therefore distributes the energy widely across the whole side of the car rather than having the B-pillar absorb it all. In 1999, the SIPS system gained the use of the first true curtain style airbags, deploying from the headlining in a side impact. The curtain airbags now have become common in many vehicles and are credited with saving many lives.
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