Volvo Debuts New IoT Seatbelt Design (caranddriver.com)
- Reference: 0177948194
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/25/06/06/222246/volvo-debuts-new-iot-seatbelt-design
- Source link: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a64970457/volvo-smart-seatbelt-revealed/
> [Volvo] is [2]debuting a new version of the three-point seatbelt that it believes is a major improvement over the original. The new design will be a smart belt that adapts to each occupant's body and adjusts the belt load accordingly. It uses data from interior and exterior sensors to customize protection based on the road conditions and the specific occupants. The technology will debut on the upcoming EX60 crossover.
>
> According to Volvo, the onboard sensors can accurately detect a passenger's height, weight, body shape, and seating position. Based on real-time data, the belts optimize protection -- increasing belt load for larger passengers or lowering it for smaller passengers. While the technology for customizing protection isn't new -- Volvo's current belts already use three load-limiting profiles- the new belts increase that number to 11. The belts should also get safer over time, too, as they are [3]equipped to receive over-the-air updates .
sinij adds: "Downloading patches for your seat belts from China. What could possibly go wrong?"
[1] https://slashdot.org/~sinij
[2] https://www.media.volvocars.com/global/en-gb/media/pressreleases/349551/volvo-cars-introduces-world-first-multi-adaptive-safety-belt-in-the-upcoming-volvo-ex60
[3] https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a64970457/volvo-smart-seatbelt-revealed/
The Ad Writes Itself (Score:3)
> Volvo's current belts already use three load-limiting profiles- the new belts increase that number to 11
Looking forward to the commercial starring Spinal Tap.
Re: (Score:1)
> Looking forward to the commercial starring Spinal Tap.
I would have been quite disappointed if nobody made that reference by now.
I do hope with the increasing levels of adjustments for seat belts we can be rid of the stupid laws requiring a child booster seat in vehicles. The evidence that these seats reduced chances of injury or death were minimal to nonexistent. With the laws in place we had people spending money they should not have had to with no real evidence it saved lives. There was a TED Talk on this, or something quite similar, I saw years ago. Som
Dont forget your subscription (Score:4, Informative)
If you want to be able to adjust it so it's doesn't slice in to your neck or boobs, there's an app for that, only $12.99/month per seat.
Sounds mostly like a good idea ... (Score:1)
... until the presumably-push OTA updates.
I'm okay with OTA updates for non-safety items like a stand-alone enterainment system, but if it touches the drive train or any safety-critical systems, "nope."
I'd be fine with updates coming in the form of a product recall where you had to manually request the OTA update. By manually I mean toggle a physical switch that was actually part of the OTA circuit, not just a "soft switch."
Here's hoping the updates are signed. At least that would be something.
Re: (Score:2)
I can't imagine why you would need a motherf**cking seatbelt to receive "updates" at all, signed or not, opt-in or not. The seatbelt adjusts its settings based on a very modest amount of data (passenger weight, and apparently also road conditions-- although I'm not sure how the latter would be useful in adjusting a "seatbelt setting"). How complicated can that be? Are they expecting some major advances in seatbelt-setting algorithms to emerge in the next decade?
Also, since the sensors are right there in
Re: (Score:2)
> I can't imagine why you would need a motherf**cking seatbelt to receive "updates" at all,
Obviously, so they can patch blackjack and hookers. Why else?
Re: (Score:1)
> what happens in 20 years when the "Internet-connected" part of the seatbelt becomes hopelessly outdated and unusable?
You buy a new car because it won't drive without the verification that the seatbelts are worn.
Re: (Score:3)
> The seatbelt adjusts its settings based on a very modest amount of data (passenger weight, and apparently also road conditions-- although I'm not sure how the latter would be useful in adjusting a "seatbelt setting"). How complicated can that be? Are they expecting some major advances in seatbelt-setting algorithms to emerge in the next decade?
FTA:
"The capabilities of the new multi-adaptive safety belt are designed to continuously improve via over-the-air software updates. As Volvo Cars gathers more data and insights, the car can improve its understanding of the occupants, new scenarios and response strategies." .
When I read that I had a reaction similar to yours. But TFA goes on to say:
"Unlike traditional systems, the new multi-adaptive safety belt can utilise data from different sensors, including exterior, interior and crash sensors. In less
bigoted comment from the peanut gallery (Score:1)
sinij adds: "Downloading patches for your seat belts from China. What could possibly go wrong?"
Of course he does, because it's not /. without morons saying bigoted things.
Re:bigoted comment from the peanut gallery (Score:5, Insightful)
I know everything looks like racism through your Woke worldview, but China is our geopolitical foe and allowing them to control over bigger share of our infrastructure is foolish. Do you think China not going to remotely disable everything they can if we get into a shooting confrontation over Taiwan?
Re: (Score:1)
Too cowardly to put the army in Ukraine, so why do you think it'll be different for Taiwan where the logistics are an order of magnitude harder? It'll just be another opportunity to use a proxy to drain resources from this week's enemy.
Re: (Score:2)
> Too cowardly to put the army in Ukraine,
What a strange way to frame a justifiable apprehension and desire to avoid a nuclear war.
Re: (Score:2)
But apparently not when it comes to Taiwan? That's your thesis:
> ...if we get into a shooting confrontation over Taiwan
Re: (Score:1)
Its not to stop a nuclear war. The good old USA is essentially bankrupt and can't afford to because you keep electing idiots that give everything to huge corps run by psychopaths. Now those psychopaths have more money than most countries and have taken every advantage they could and will enslave us all. Hopefully the nukes will kill us all and be done with it.
Re: (Score:2)
US doesn't need to do anything to help in a Taiwan war. Taiwan has enough anti-ship weapons to take care of it. Taiwan has been building missiles for 50 years to prepare for that eventuality, and now they have hypersonic missiles that can hit Beijing.
Re: (Score:1)
Trashing the US economy and destroying our lead in science and education strengthens China. You conservative jackasses are handing them geopolitical and eventually military superiority, and kicking trans people out won't stop the latter. Get lost, anti-American traitor.
Re: (Score:2)
What does Volvo have to do with China?
Re: (Score:2)
China isn't your foe, you just want them to be because there always has to be a Big Bad to justify whatever bullshit you want to do.
Raise the price! (Score:1)
Just another "do-dad" to increase the price of the vehicle, not to mention added REPAIR COSTS!
Re: (Score:3)
> Just another "do-dad" to increase the price of the vehicle, not to mention added REPAIR COSTS!
Volvo's is a mid range brand and the 60 series is their second from the top premium line. This isn't affecting anyone's pocket save for maybe an idiot who wants to buy a car out of their price range just to look cool - but then they wouldn't drive a Volvo either, so your complaint is completely irrelevant.
But it's funny you chose this story to complain about. Volvo invented the three-point seatbelt in the first place, and people complained back then that it's just another "do-dad" that increased the price o
Re: (Score:2)
This is a do-dad, because to increase seatbelt efficiency including a lot of impact types that 3 point seatbelt can't help with regardless of IOT, tensioners or subscriptions, it would be 10 times easier with simple, manually adjustable 6 piont seatbelt. But no, nobody would buy safety, marketing caters only for convenience, contrary to unnecessary complexity.
Hacked belts (Score:3)
Can't wait for my seat belt to get hacked to become part of a DDoS botnet.
Oh, no, not again (Score:2)
I remember those horrible "Count Dracula seatbelts" from the last century that would try to strangle you when you got into the car. No thanks.
Re: (Score:2)
What is a count dracula seatbelt?
So what about... (Score:2)
The current standard for "bicycle helmets" only checks a helmet in a stationary crash: Basically they put the "helmet" on a dummy and let it fall sideways to the ground. Not a very realistic scenario for an actual crash. Considering that these helmets are used by "electric bicycles" that regularly exceed the legal limit of 32 km/h, this is a pathetic level of protection.
There is no requirement for seatbelts in school busses. That is a pathetic level of protection.
There is no legal requirement for so-called
"Does this IOT make my butt look big?" (Score:2)
this won't end well, pun half-intended
Zero Trust in car makers (Score:2)
They can't be trusted to make an electronic gas pedal without fucking it up (stuck fully opened), and next you want me to trust them with the seat belt?
Nope.
Not gonna happen.
IoT (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh fuck off with making everything internet connected, seriously getting fucking tired of this trend of making everything poorly intenret connected (often vulnerability laced).
Its a new European Commission Mandate (Score:2, Informative)
> Oh fuck off with making everything internet connected, seriously getting fucking tired of this trend of making everything poorly intenret connected (often vulnerability laced).
It's based on a new European Commission Mandate out of Brussels. Seat belt verification for driver and all passengers before a vehicle can be driven. Bluetooth is simply the easiest way to connect the seatbelt buckle to the car. Embedding a wire in the belts troublesome.
Re:Its a new European Commission Mandate (Score:4, Informative)
My car already yells at me when a passenger doesn't have their seat belt on, no Bluetooth required.
Re: (Score:2)
> My car already yells at me when a passenger doesn't have their seat belt on ...
But does it text your parents when parental controls are activated?
> ... no Bluetooth required.
That's how they know wired is the inferior solution. They've tried it before.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes it's done via a sensor in the seat and in the belt buckle receptacle. It will also detect cargo over a certain weight. You can buy a seat belt "extension" to plug into the receptacle to defeat it.
Re: (Score:2)
> Bluetooth is simply the easiest way to connect the seatbelt buckle to the car. Embedding a wire in the belts troublesome.
How does the seatbelt bluetooth get powered without a wire?
Re: (Score:2)
> It's based on a new European Commission Mandate out of Brussels. Seat belt verification for driver and all passengers before a vehicle can be driven. Bluetooth is simply the easiest way to connect the seatbelt buckle to the car. Embedding a wire in the belts troublesome.
This is the dumbest thing I've read here all week. No it's got nothing to do with the European mandate on seatbelts. That is something that cars already did. The EU policy on cars implements mandates that have been industry standard for a decade+ prior. My cheap shit Renault from 2006 met all the requirements of the mandate already and no, not a single car in the world uses Bluetooth for this.
Now maybe you were making a joke, in which case give us a smiley on your post so we have a chance at telling attempt
Re: (Score:2)
>> Oh fuck off with making everything internet connected, seriously getting fucking tired of this trend of making everything poorly intenret connected (often vulnerability laced).
> It's based on a new European Commission Mandate out of Brussels. Seat belt verification for driver and all passengers before a vehicle can be driven. Bluetooth is simply the easiest way to connect the seatbelt buckle to the car. Embedding a wire in the belts troublesome.
Bluetooth, yeah, that might make sense, but not really. Avoiding batteries seems to be a really good idea, and if power comes through wires, then data can also go through wires. But why does there need to be a connection to the internet? So that we can create new security vulnerabilities with no benefits in return?
Re: (Score:2)
But if it's not connected to the internet, how will they update the seatbelt's AI functionality?!
Re: (Score:2)
> Oh fuck off with making everything internet connected
This is a car. Good ones have all been internet connected for a while now. Stop getting angry at something normal and get angry at the idiot who used the words IoT to trigger you.