Decades ago, not too long after Volvo bought financially stricken US truck maker White in the early ’80s, I asked a senior Volvo executive in Sweden if safety would be part of future product developments for White.
After all, Volvo’s commitment to truck safety was already firmly entrenched, whereas, across the Atlantic, the attitude of America’s truck makers to safety was somewhat inferior to their continental counterparts. Vastly inferior!
There were those who even thought that if Volvo pushed the safety barrow hard enough – particularly in development of stronger, safer cabs – it would actually encourage other US truck makers to follow suit. It was, however, naivety at its best.
Anyway, I can’t for the life of me recall the Volvo executive’s name, but there is absolutely no doubt…
