Nils Bohlin

Who was Nils Bohlin?

Nils Ivar Bohlin was a Swedish inventor who invented the three-point safety belt while working at Volvo.

Born in Härnösand, Sweden, he received a diploma in mechanical engineering from Härnösand Läroverk in 1939. In 1942 he started working for the aircraft maker Saab as an aircraft designer and helped develop ejection seats. In 1958 he joined Volvo as a safety engineer. He is credited with the invention of the modern 3-point safety belt, now a standard safety feature in all cars.

Bohlin worked on the seat belt for about a year, using skills in developing ejection seats for SAAB, he concentrated on keeping the driver safe in a car accident. After testing the 3-point safety belt, he introduced his invention to the Volvo company in 1959 and received his first patent. Ten years later, he led the Central Research and Development Department for Volvo in 1969.

In 1974, he was awarded The Ralph Isbrandt Automotive Safety Engineering Award, and in 1989 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Safety and Health. He received a gold medal from Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Science in 1995 and in 1999, was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame. He retired from Volvo in 1985 and was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.