Volvo Whiplash Protection System Earns Acclaim
9 December 1998
Volvo Whiplash Protection System Earns Acclaim from Insurance Institute for Highway SafetyROCKLEIGH, 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.