Volvo has apparently designed the XC90 to take the impact of crashing to the ground similar to how a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter would take it, though of course drivers would prefer not to find themselves in such a situation of needing the feature to protect the vehicle.
The Black Hawk is very effective in absorbing hard landings, as the landing gear of the helicopter was designed to take the hit in extreme impact situations such as when it falls out of the sky. The seats of the Black Hawk's pilot and passengers also come with special designs for minimizing the impact on the spine and organs of the helicopter's occupants.
In a video clip from Fifth Gear, it is shown that when the Volvo XC90 flies through the air, such as when finding itself jumping off a ramp, the vehicle is designed to absorb most of the vertical forces once it lands on the ground, dissipating the impact to the XC90's wheels, seats and body to avoid any injuries to its passengers.
The clip also demonstrates that the XC90 utilizes its sensors such as its accelerometer and gyrometer to detect its being in a ditch even before the vehicle flies through the air. The vehicle is then able to prepare the driver and passengers for the eventual impact by automatically tightening the seat belts and aligning each person in their seats to be in the optimum position for impact.
The wheels of the XC90 are also designed to crush once subjected to a certain amount of force, which helps minimize the impact that goes into the cabin upon its collision with the ground. And as the vehicle attempts to stabilize itself after the impact, several airbags inflate to protect the driver and passengers.
Similar to the seats of the Black Hawk, the seats of the XC90 are designed to decrease the impact of the crash, lessening the risk of spinal injuries and decreasing the movement of the brain and organs.
Volvo has announced a goal of preventing any deaths in accidents that occur with its vehicles, and with the safety features of the XC90, it seems that the company is very serious about it. While the XC90 has proven that it can take a beating and protect its passengers, drivers should always drive safely.
