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Volvo Whiplash Protection System Earns Acclaim

9 December 1998

Volvo Whiplash Protection System Earns Acclaim from Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

    ROCKLEIGH, N.J., Dec. 9 -- Recent testing by the Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) confirms that the new Whiplash Protection
System (WHIPS) in the Volvo S80 "does a better job than even a good
conventional seatback/head restraint combination in reducing the sudden
relative motion of the head and neck that causes many whiplash injuries,
"according to IIHS president Brian O'Neill.
    IIHS used the world's most advanced rear impact crash test dummy in the
test, where a 4,000 pound barrier traveling at 15 miles per hour struck an S80
in IIHS's facility in Virginia. When seated in a WHIPS chair, the dummies
recorded significantly lower Neck Injury Criterion (NIC) values, which
indicate minimized movement of the head and torso when compared with
conventional seatbacks. Research shows that low NIC scores equal low
probability that whiplash injury with prolonged symptoms will occur.
    "Whiplash injuries are a focus for Volvo because the symptoms are
extremely painful and lasting. Additionally, whiplash is among the most common
and the single most expensive injury resulting from traffic incidents in our
society today," according to William Shapiro, Director of Safety for Volvo
Cars of North America, Inc.
    Debuting on Volvo's new S80 luxury sedan, the WHIPS system is based on
two mechanical parts and works in two stages. It is activated the moment the
car is hit from behind.
    During the first stage, the force of the impact throws the body backwards
where the seat cushions it in a controlled manner, with the whole of the spine
against the backrest. In order to reduce the g force, the backrest is designed
to move backwards with the occupant. This backward movement helps limit the
body's natural rebound forward. The upper part of the backrest moves upwards
and forwards, thereby providing extra support and protection for the neck and
head.
    During the second stage, the WHIPS mechanism allows the backrest to tilt
backward up to 15 degrees, thereby absorbing impact energy and further
minimizing the movement of the body, greatly reducing the risk of the rebound
effect which researchers believe is the cause of whiplash injury.
    The WHIPS system was designed to be easy to repair. The mechanical parts
that are affected are inexpensive and, in most cases, can be replaced without
replacing the entire seat.