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One of the first major safety features of cars was safety glass, which was introduced in 1927, before then windows were made of normal glass, which shattered on impact.
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In 1950’s Chrysler introduced 4 wheel disc brakes, they had been used and tested before this time but it wasn’t till 1950 that they became a standard feature on Chryslers cars.
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Dr. Sheldon suggested the idea of retractable seatbelts and by 1955 Nash, Ford, GM and Chrysler all offered seatbelts as options on all of their cars along with padded dashes.
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The first seatbelt law was introduced in 1962 in New York that states that requires all cars to have working front seatbelts.
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By 1964 seatbelts had become standard equipment instead of an optional choice in the top 4 car manufacturers.
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1967 GM starts producing energy absorbing steering columns which will collapse on impact unlike the old steering columns that where rigid post.
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GM also produces the first airbag in 1974 and started offering airbags as an option in all of their cars followed by ford.
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1989 Chrysler becomes the first car manufacturer to introduce airbags as a standard feature on all of their cars.
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In 1991 Volvo introduces a side impact system strengthening the side doors and body after side impact crashes ranked second for fatal crashes after frontal crashes.
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3 years later Volvo starts to produce side airbags in their cars helping to protect the drivers head in a side on collision.
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2009 Volvo starts using automatic braking, which will brake if the driver fails to brake in time.
