The 1960s were an era defined by societal change, significant cultural events such as the Moon landing, the birth of the pony car, and the rise of critical safety regulation in the automotive industry.
The Invention and Its Effect
In the early 1960s, most vehicles on the road used the classic lap seatbelt common to cars of the era. In 1959, at the tail end of the ’50s, Volvo designer Nils Bohlin invented the 3-point seatbelt. Volvo then made this innovation freely available worldwide through an open patent.
Though it may not be the most exciting innovation on our list, the 3-point belt is one of the most significant, as it has been directly credited with saving millions of lives worldwide, with regulatory enforcement beginning in 1968 in the U.S..
The credit for the success and importance of the 3-point seatbelt is also clear in its continued use and regulation, more than six decades after its first introduction.
Explore automotive innovations from other decades below: