Volvo introduced its first sport utility vehicle this fall, with a system intended to help it avoid the most serious safety problem of SUVs: a rate of rollovers in accidents that is three times higher than the rate for cars. Built into Volvo's SUV, the XC90, is an anti-rollover system that the company has named the Rollover Protection System.
Sensors in the car detect the angle and the rate of the roll of the vehicle as well as its speed and the position of the steering wheel. When the sensors find the vehicle tipping quickly or too far from an upright position, the vehicle's computer takes action. As the rollover starts, the system cuts back on engine power or applies brakes to one or more wheels. It activates the anti-lock braking system, allowing the driver to continue steering under hard braking.
If a rollover actually occurs, the system deploys air bag curtains on both sides of the vehicle to protect occupants' heads. The curtain air bags are provided for all three rows and remain inflated for about five seconds. At the same time, the three-point safety belts tighten to hold occupants in their seats.
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