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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.

Concept Car of the Week: Cadillac Sixteen (2003)

Many premium brands struggle to keep their heritage of crafts and aesthetics up to date without often falling into obvious retro references. With a rich tradition of innovation, Cadillac tackled this difficult task in 2003 by creating the stunning Sixteen concept. Its caricature-like proportions exaggerate all the luxury car design codes.

EyesOn Design Awards 2010

Outstanding achievement in automotive design was recognized at the fifth annual EyesOn Design Awards held at the 2010 NAIAS in Detroit in January. Top honors were awarded to the GMC Granite urban utility vehicle in the Best Concept Vehicle category, and the Audi A8 luxury sedan for Best Production Vehicle. Frank Saucedo, Director of GM Design's California studio, and Clay Dean, Executive Director GM Advanced Global Design, accepted the award for the GMC Granite Concept and acknowledged the importance of recognition from their design peers.