A closer look
Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin invented the modern three-point seatbelt in 1959, fundamentally changing vehicle safety by securing both the upper and lower body during a crash. Recognizing the life-saving potential of this technology, the Swedish automaker did the most un-corporate thing imaginable and left the patent open, allowing any competitor to use their design for free. This single altruistic decision has saved over a million lives worldwide, which is a stark contrast to modern car companies that want to charge you a monthly subscription fee just to use the heated seats already installed in your vehicle. It remains one of the few instances in automotive history where a major corporation prioritized human survival over squeezing every last possible penny out of their consumer base
