Hyundai Motors have introduced a new game-changing airbag technology which protects drivers and passengers during secondary impacts. This new state-of-the-art system will be seen in future Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
The new multi-collision airbag system has been developed by the Korean automobile giant due to the need for protection during accidents that face secondary collisions. Statistically, this happens 30 per cent of the time and often leads to serious or fatal injuries.
Current airbag systems deploy during the first impact and are redundant after. However, the new system will cause airbags to deploy for a second time after calibrating the status of the vehicle and occupants. This is done by new technology detecting passenger whereabouts inside the car after the first impact and deploying airbags again if the need be. The airbags deploy at faster speeds than regular units and will only expand where needed in the vehicle.
“By improving airbag performance in multi-collision scenarios, we expect to significantly improve the safety of our drivers and passengers,” said Taesoo Chi, head of Chassis Technology Centre at Hyundai Motor Group. “We will continue our research on more diverse crash situations as part of our commitment to producing even safer vehicles that protect occupants and prevent injuries.”
The new multi-collision airbag system is a big practical boost to safety in automobiles and we sure hope other mass-market manufacturers follow suit.
Story: Zal Cursetji
