HAVING a strong reputation for building safe automobiles has helped Volvo to move a lot of its cars.

'Safety is one of Volvo's best selling points, especially when you are in the US,' reveals Richard Nilsson, Volvo's safety attribute manager based in the Swedish carmaker's Research & Development Safety Centre in Gothenburg.

The US is traditionally Volvo's biggest market.

He adds: 'Safety is important for customers of any brand but it is especially high for prospective Volvo buyers.'

According to him, in consumer surveys asking people why they would consider buying a Volvo, safety is usually ranked high on their list of reasons.

Mr Nilsson is a mechanical engineer who has been with Volvo's safety centre for 24 years. He used to be a technical specialist in crash analysis before becoming responsible for the overall safety development of models like the V70 estate, S60 sedan and XC90 SUV.

He was in Singapore recently for the S80 safety event, which showcased the flagship sedan's advanced safety equipment like Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Warning with Brake Support and Blind Spot Information System.

The first two systems use a radar sensor to help the driver maintain a safe driving distance from the car in front and avoid rear-end collisions, while the last one employs cameras beside the door mirrors to pick up vehicles in the driver's blind spot.

But he is proudest of the fact that it is not possible to discern from the new S80's streamlined design that it has such good structural integrity. For example, the front structure - the nose and bumpers - offers the same deformation protection despite being 30 per cent shorter than before.

'You don't see the protection. We succeeded with this car more than the others,' says Mr Nilsson, adding that the S80 is the US Institute for Highway Safety's top safety pick.

He says that the new S80 is also significant for moving into what he calls the 'third generation' of safety.

Volvo is already well known for its protective safety systems - like air bags - and preventive safety systems - like ABS brakes or anti-lock braking. But the new S80 is now exploring a realm with an information management system that interacts with the driver.

This third generation of safety is built on the recognition that safety is not just about the physical ability of a car to protect its occupant, but also increasingly about intelligent systems that enhance or even override a driver's ability to handle a potential crisis.

'The new S80 is a car in which information management, including information about safety, is built into every aspect of the design,' says Mr Nilsson. 'As a result, individual safety features can play a part at every stage of the driving experience - right through to the worst-case scenario of a collision taking place.'

For example, if the driver is fiddling with the control panel for too long, thus taking his attention away from the road, the Intelligent Driver Information System or IDIS will stop him from entering commands. IDIS can also delay or reject the ring signal from incoming calls in the car's audio system, so the driver does not get distracted.

Another device is the PCC or Personal Car Communicator. Unlike the other features which focus on vehicle safety, this one concerns personal safety. It is a pocket-size intelligent remote control that doubles as an S80 key, providing information such as whether the door is locked or if the alarm has been activated. It even detects if someone has broken into the car by using a heartbeat sensor.

'Safety is no longer about avoiding an accident or protecting you during one. It starts from the time you enter the car.'