Roll Stability Control

[littlewaywelt]

Anyone read the article in the new Rolling about the xc90. They made it seem like the Roll Stability Control was actually developed by Ford, but it went into the xc90 first. I presume this is because it was easier to get it into the Volvo from the ground up?

[Botanique]

That may be correct - but press releases are slippery things. Ford does own Volvo and therefore owns what Volvo engineers create. This quote is from the November 12th issue of the Detroit Free Press concerning Ford's plans to extend the technology across all their SUV's:

"Ford has more than 80 patents and patent applications pending for its roll stability control system, and it plans to shop the equipment to other automakers, said Sue Cischke, vice president for environmental and safety engineering."

So they own the patents...and therefore the technology. Who developed it is another question. More interesting however is Ford's efforts in 2002 to force Volvo to give up their position on reinforced roofing to prevent collapse during a roll over. Ford maintains that injuries and death in rollover are not related to collapse of the roof while Volvo has always held the opposite view. Hence the boron reinforced roofing cross bars and support in the XC90.

Ford's concern was that Volvo's position would be invoked in arguments against the company in roll over litigation. I guess the position at Ford is that Volvo's should be safe...but not safer than Fords....

[littlewaywelt]

That may be correct - but press releases are slippery things. Ford does own Volvo and therefore owns what Volvo engineers create. This quote is from the November 12th issue of the Detroit Free Press concerning Ford's plans to extend the technology across all their SUV's:

"Ford has more than 80 patents and patent applications pending for its roll stability control system, and it plans to shop the equipment to other automakers, said Sue Cischke, vice president for environmental and safety engineering."

So they own the patents...and therefore the technology. Who developed it is another question. More interesting however is Ford's efforts in 2002 to force Volvo to give up their position on reinforced roofing to prevent collapse during a roll over. Ford maintains that injuries and death in rollover are not related to collapse of the roof while Volvo has always held the opposite view. Hence the boron reinforced roofing cross bars and support in the XC90.

Ford's concern was that Volvo's position would be invoked in arguments against the company in roll over litigation. I guess the position at Ford is that Volvo's should be safe...but not safer than Fords....

This was in the Volvo Club of America magazine not a press release. They made it sound like the project was in the works at Ford prior the acquisition of Volvo and the XC90 was the first vehicle they could introduce it in.

[Mr. P]

In this case, I don't care who developed it, as long as it works (and believe me, it does work, because I've really put it to the test!).

With it turned off you can "wag the tail" all over the place. With it turned on, the car tracks like it's riding on rails.

Mr. P