[b]Volvo Named Brand Offering the Best Overall Automotive Safety[/b]Palo Alto, Calif. – February 9, 2006 – Frost & Sullivan?s recent analysis of active and passive safety systems in the United States and consumers? desirability and willingness to pay for such systems recognized Volvo as the recipient of the 2005 U.S. Consumer Choice of the Year Award for Brand Offering the Best Overall Automotive Safety. This recognition is based on a survey of over 1,000 U.S. consumers.Volvo receives this Award for being perceived and voted by customers across the United States as the brand that offers the best safety features across all vehicle segments, as shown in Frost & Sullivan?s analysis.Survey respondents rated Volvo the highest on the following categories: best safety features, most safety features, best protection in a crash, best safety value, best features that help drivers drive safely, and expected to be first to launch new safety features.Volvo has constantly promoted safety in its vehicles and brand positioning as one of its core values. The survey results indicate that Volvo not only offers excellent safety features, but also effectively communicates its commitment to consumers.?Volvo has demonstrated significant insight into the safety expectations of customers and successfully addressed them in its vehicles,? noted Stephen Chen, Frost & Sullivan industry analyst. ?Volvo is the first name in overall safety, according to U.S consumers, outscoring even substantially more expensive brands.?Volvo takes safety to mean both accident avoidance as well as occupant and pedestrian protection in the event of a collision. The company also considers security for occupants and their possessions, and pays particular attention to child safety.The brand was first to provide standard three-point safety belts, one of the industry’s most cost-effective vehicular safety features. Additionally, Volvo was an early adopter of padded dashboards, ergonomic seats, disc brakes, power brakes, crumple zones, split steering columns, triangle-split dual circuit brake systems, integrated child booster cushions, structural side impact protection, and side airbags. Recent safety initiatives from Volvo include whiplash protection seating system, rollover protection system, roll stability control, and Volvo Intelligent Vehicle Architecture.In acknowledgement of these distinctions, Frost & Sullivan presented its 2005 Consumer Choice Award for Brand Offering Best Overall Automotive Safety to Volvo. In October, 2005, Frost & Sullivan presented Volvo Cars with the 2005 CEO Choice Award, a survey of leading executives who named Volvo the brand with the Most Useful Safety Features.[b]About Frost & Sullivan[/b]Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company, has been partnering with clients to support the development of innovative strategies for more than 40 years. The company’s industry expertise integrates growth consulting, growth partnership services, and corporate management training to identify and develop opportunities. Frost & Sullivan serves an extensive clientele that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, and the investment community by providing comprehensive industry coverage that reflects a unique global perspective and combines ongoing analysis of markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. For more information, visit . frost.com. Source: Volvo Cars of North America