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Volvo celebrates the seatbelt’s golden anniversary

By Freddie Fulton Motor Industry 12 August 2009 10:11 Today marks the 50th anniversary of the three-point seatbelt. It was patented by Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin in 1959, but the Swedes magnanimously opened up the tech to other car makers as they saw the real-world safety benefit of seatbelts in all cars. The design was so effective that in Germany the patent registrars listed it in the top eight inventions which have made an impact from 1885 to 1985.

Video: Volvo designers offer an insight into inspiration

A film crew has visited Volvo's Gothenberg design studios to meet two of its design team and find out what makes them tick. Exterior designer Peter Reuterberg and Interior designer Axel Ernstsson are filmed both in the classically Scandinavian studio and strolling in slow motion through a typically-Swedish snowy landscape. Ok, it may be a little cheesy, but it certainly rams home the company's nationality.

GM files plan for stock offering

General Motors Co., moving to unwind itself from government control, on Wednesday filed plans to go public and begin selling common shares as early as this fall. The filing--anticipated for weeks--came just 13 months after GM was restructured in bankruptcy with $50 billion in direct aid from the U.S. government.