IDIS (Intelligent Driver Information System) is an electronic information system that avoids the driver being distracted by unimportant information in testing driving situations. By continuously checking certain functions in the car - such as steering wheel movements, movement of the accelerator pedal, indicator control and braking - IDIS can assess the complexity of the situation and delay any information that is not crucial to safety, such as an incoming telephone call or a text message.

Active Bending headlights 'see around corners'

To improve visibility when driving in the dark on winding roads, Volvo has launched the Active Bending Light - swivelling headlights that follow the bends in the road. The headlights can be swivelled by up to 15 degrees in each direction, totalling 30 degrees, and thus have the capacity to illuminate a longer distance when the road is winding. To save wear on the system, this function is disconnected automatically in daylight. To help reduce the risk of blinding oncoming road users, the angle of the headlights is adjusted depending on how heavily the car is loaded or if it is accelerating or braking.

The headlights are cleaned by means of an electro-mechanical, high-pressure system that washes one headlight at a time, always offering the best possible light.

Highly advanced braking system

The Volvo S80 has a highly advanced braking system with several new functions that interact to ensure the shortest possible braking distance.

Hydraulic Brake Assist (HBA) is a new generation of Volvo's panic brake assistant. It helps the driver to brake in the shortest possible distance in an emergency. As opposed to earlier systems, which are based purely on vacuum, the braking pressure is also reinforced hydraulically. In an emergency situation, where the driver does not press the brake pedal sufficiently hard, HBA helps to ensure the ABS system is used optimally and the braking distance shortened.

Optimised Hydraulic Brakes (OHB) reinforces the braking capacity in conjunction with hard braking by using hydraulics to compensate for low vacuum pressure in the brake servo.

Ready Alert Brakes (RAB) can predict rapid braking and place the brake pads against the brake discs even before the driver presses the brake pedal. In doing so, the braking system's reaction time - and braking distance - is shortened.

Fading Brake Support (FBS) is another hydraulic-based system that compensates for brake fade - a temporary reduction in stopping effectiveness caused by prolonged and hard braking.

Protective Safety

The Volvo S80 has been developed to be one of the safest cars in the world. Its advanced body structure offers very high torsional rigidity and absorbs impact energy very effectively.

The patented front body structure has been divided into zones, each with a different task during the deformation process. The outer zones are responsible for most of the deformation. The closer the collision forces get to the passenger compartment, the less the material deforms.

To give each zone the correct properties, the steel grades have been varied. Four different steel grades are used. Apart from conventional bodywork steel, three different grades of high-strength steel are used: High Strength Steel, Extra High Strength Steel and Ultra High Strength Steel.

As with all other Volvo models, the S80 has transverse engines to give more room in the engine compartment for the safety systems to work efficiently. A transverse engine also reduces the risk of the powertrain intruding into the passenger compartment in a frontal collision. The larger eight-cylinder engines can be mounted transversely thanks to their extremely compact designs.

Twin chamber side airbag improves Side Impact Protection System (SIPS)

Side impact airbags with two separate chambers - one for the hips and one for the chest - ensure enhanced protection from the Volvo patented SIPS (Side Impact Protection System). As the hips can withstand greater forces than the chest, the lower chamber can be inflated to a pressure that is up to five times higher than in the upper chamber. The side impact airbags interact with the inflatable curtains and the body's cross-member structure to offer the most effective protection possible. Both the sills as well as the B-pillars have been reinforced to reduce the risk of intrusion into the passenger compartment. Among other things, an extra steel profile has been placed inside the sill member. Diagonally mounted cross-members made of Ultra High Strength Steel are fitted in the doors, further improving side protection.

Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS)

The Volvo system for avoiding neck injuries - WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System) - is one of the most effective in the car market. In a serious rear-end collision, the front seat back support and head restraint follow the movement of the body, suppressing the forces in roughly the same way as when catching a ball.

Pedestrian protection a priority

Protection for pedestrians and cyclists is also a priority for the S80. Engineers have ensured that the front has energy-absorbing features, including a well-proportioned, soft structure in front of the bumper to counteract the risk of leg injuries in the event of a collision. In addition, the lower edge of the front spoiler has been reinforced and moved forward, almost in line with the bumper. The aim is for the load on a leg to be distributed evenly over a greater area to reduce the risk of injury.

The bonnet has a raised shape and includes an inner honeycomb structure that distributes the loads evenly, reducing the total force of impact and reducing the risk of injury.

The Volvo S80 also features:

A collapsible steering wheel, which during deformation is moved horizontally for the best possible interaction with the airbag
Pedals with an intrusion limiting function
Airbags with a dual-stage function
Seatbelt pretensioners for all five seats
Seatbelt reminder for all five seats
Force limiters for the front seatbelts
Strong SIPS pipes in the seats and a rigid magnesium console in the centre of the car help to minimise injury in the event of a side-impact collision

Personal Car Communicator

Personal security is becoming increasingly important, and Volvo's innovative Personal Car Communicator (PCC) is a major advance in this area. First demonstrated on the Volvo Safety Concept Car in 2001, this is an advanced pocket-sized unit similar to - but far more sophisticated than - a conventional remote control.

The PCC can tell if the S80 has been left locked or unlocked or if the alarm has been activated. The PCC will be able to access this information when it is within 100 metres of the car, or stores the most recent information so that the driver can check to see if the car was locked when it was parked. The PCC also uses a sensitive heartbeat sensor to tell if there is anyone in your car.