Dozens of new cars and trucks, led by Ford Motor Co. and its Volvo subsidiary, have made the insurance industry's annual list of safest vehicles.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says for the 2009 model year, Ford and Volvo have 16 vehicles on the list, followed by Honda with 13.

The awards bolster the case made by Ford CEO Alan Mulally in Washington last week when he testified along with Big Three executives seeking massive government aid. He'd argued that Ford had made significant strides.

Volkswagen and its Audi brand had nine vehicles on the list. GM and Toyota each had eight.