| 2011 | ESP-compulsory(USA) |
| 2005 | Electronic tyre-pressure control compulsory (US) |
| 2003 | XC 90 the first SUV to achieve a 5 star rating from the NCAP-test (Volvo) |
| 2002 | Emergency anti-blow-out system (Conti, D), test done with a "pregnant" dummy (Volvo) |
| 1998 | Whiplash protection system (Volvo) |
| 1995 | Electronic chassis-stabilisation program, side-impact airbags,seatbelt tension-limiter (DB, D) |
| 1994 | DEKRA-crash-center (Neumünster, D), side airbags (Volvo), constant daytime-lights (GM, US) |
| 1993 | 100-HP-limit (motorcycles) repealed |
| 1992 | Passenger air-bag (Volvo) |
| 1991 | ABS-compulsory for busses (D), strengthened side construction, seatbelt height adjustment (Volvo) |
| 1989 | Standard production of tyre-pressure monitoring (Porsche) |
| 1987 | Seatbelt tensioner, driver-airbag (Volvo) |
| 1986 | Safety Bowden-cable in frontal crash (Procon-Ten, Audi, D), high-mounted brake light (Volvo) |
| 1984 | ABS, traction control (Volvo) |
| 1982 | Strengthening of the front-seat edge, prevention of diving under the seat-belts, warning lights on the inside of the doors (Volvo) |
| 1979 | Wide angle outside mirror (Volvo) |
| 1978 | Anti-blocking-system (Bosch, D), seatbelts compulsory in the rear(D) |
| 1976 | Seatbelts in 88% of all cars, compulsory to belt-up on the front seats (D) |
| 1974 | Three-point seatbelts compulsory for the front seats (D), fuel tank moved aeay from the impact area, safety steering (Volvo) |
| 1973 | Track tabilising steering offset, plastic fuel tank (VW, D), accident testing center (DB, D),educational action concerning seatbelts (D), energy absorbing steering column and bumpers, headlamp
washing system (Volvo), drivers-side airbag compulsory (US) |
| 1972 | Shatterproof glass as standard, heated outside mirrors (DB, D), accident analysis at the federal road research institute (D), automatic seatbelts in the rear, child-seats facing the rear, child-
proof lock on the rear doors, hazard lights (Volvo) |
| 1971 | Sunken door-handles (Citroen, F) |
| 1970 | More than 19.000 road accident fatalities (D), start of a program for the building of safer vehicles (US, D), traffic accident research group (Volvo) |
| 1969 | European safety standards, Björn-Steiger-trust (reformation of the rescue system, D), automatic seatbelts, rear window heating (Volvo), mechanical anti-lock-braking systems, airbag testing
(DB, D), headlight high-beam follows the steering-wheel movements (Citroen, F) |
| 1968 | Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (US), systematic crash-testing (Ford, D), more than 55.000 road accident fatalities (US), automatic seatbelts, headrests on the front seats (Volvo) |
| 1967 | Safety belts for the rear seats (Volvo), safety steering column |
| 1966 | Twin-circuit braking system with double circuit for the front axle, crumple zones front and rear, integrated roll-bar (Volvo, S), federal laws for vehicle- and for traffic safety (US) |
| 1965 | Ralph Nader's book 'Unsafe at any speed' published, US) |
| 1964 | Safety belts in only 10% of all vehicles (D), safety standards for government-service vehicles (US) |
| 1963 | PF-Sigma-Safety vehicle (Pininfarina, I), accident simulator (GM, US), safety vehicle mass production (Rover 2000, GB) |
| 1961 | Safety belts in front are standard (Volvo), twin-circuits brakes go int production + simulation von Crash tests + exhaust-gas-turbo (GM, US) |
| 1960 | More than 38.000 road accident fatalities (US), hazard lights (Chrysler, US) |
| 1959 | Double-wedge door lock is patented (DB, D), approx. 13.000 road fatalities (D), crash zones and double-wedge door locks (W 111, DB), testing grounds (DB, D), fastening points for three-point
seat belts in the front (Volvo) |
| 1958 | Two-point seat belts in Mercedes Benz as additional extra, child-proof door locks (DB, D) |
| 1957 | Max. speed limit of 50 km/h in urban areas (D), asymmetric dipped beam, two-point set belts as optional extra (DB, Volvo) |
| 1956 | Single-layer safety glass as standard (DB), state initiated investigation into causes and consequences of accidents (D), head injuries deemed the most important results, padded dashboard
(Volvo), advertising campaign for safety (Ford, US) |
| 1955 | Steering, roof and windscreen as additional accident causes, crash tests (Cornell Aeronautical Labatory, US), symposium for automobil safety (air-force base Holloman, US) |
| 1954 | Patenting of the steering wheel cushion-plate and collapsible intermediate section of the steering column (Barenyi, DB), publication about door-locks being the main problem (US) |
| 1952 | Conference (automobile crash injury research planning, deHaven, US), safety delegate (Chrysler, Ford, US) |
| 1951 | Patenting of the passenger compartment with crumple zones and pedestrian friendly windscreen wipers (Barenyi, DB), compulsory MOT (Ministry Of Transport) safety standards checking (D),
safety locks (W 186/187, DB), federal road research institute (D), systematic registration of accident data (US) |
| 1950 | Head-rests as a relaxation feature (DB, D), approx. 35.000 road fatalities (US), department of safety (GM, US) |
| 1949 | Patenting of the safety lock (DB, D) |
| 1946 | Rocket tests to investigate the body-impact behaviour (biochemistry, Stapp, US) |
| 1944 | Safe passenger compartment, windscreen made of laminated glass (Volvo, S) |
| 1942 | Statistical compilation of accident data (Crash Injury Research, US) |
| 1942 | Two exterior mirrors (Nash, US), tests with mechanical ABS systems |
| 1939 | Considerations about preventitive measures in cars (DB, D), investigation of head injuries (Wayne State University, Detroit, US), head-rests (Buick, US) |
| 1938 | Side-impact and over turning tests (Auto Union, D) |
| 1937 | Road traffic regulations, road traffic licencing regulations (D), 'crash program' at Auto Union (D) |
| 1935 | The beginnings of accident research (DeHaven, US) |
| 1934 | Crash-tests against a solid wall (DKW, D), roll-over tests (GM, US) |
| 1933 | Single-layer safety glass, the first still unsystematic crash-tests, impact and roll-over (US-manufacturers) |
| 1928 | Patenting of mechanical brake power control (Wessels, D) |
| 1926 | Safety vehicle (Stutz, US) |
| 1925 | Patenting of a more secure steering (Barenyi, D); |
| 1923 | Laminated glass windscreen |
| 1909 | Protection of non-motorised persons, liability responsibility through the motorised traffic laws (D) |
| 1904 | Suggestion of curved bumpers with rubber inserts |
| 1903 | Patenting of two cross-over safety belts (Liebau, F) |
| 1902 | Safer vehicle handling through lower mounted drive-train (Mercedes Simplex, DB) |
