External Airbags May Be the Next Big Thing in Car Safety
Have you ever wondered what happens to the people, other vehicles, or public or private property when a speeding car hits them? Well, those inside the car may escape unhurt, thanks to airbags inside, but when a car runs into a pedestrian a human being, animal or other valuable asset, it might destroy them completely.
Since their inception, Air bags have reduced the fatalities, because of accidents by 11% and saved close to 2000 lives, according to a report.
Airbags, which came into existence to replace the uncomfortable seatbelts, have now become complementary to seatbelts offering the extra support to the passengers. Airbags, a passive safety equipment called supplemental restraints, work exactly like the inflatable crash-landing equipment for airplanes by providing a mechanism to reduce the speed of the car to as much as possible, so the damage is limited greatly.
Airbags for passenger vehicles have become so popular that modern day cars come fitted with them all throughout interiors right from the steering wheel to dashboard to door panels, window and seat frames, and everywhere. Finally, the next destination for airbags is the sideways and the exteriors of the car to offer protection for pedestrians and traffic on the road.
Yes, external air bags for your car will offer safety to the people inside the car, as well as emphasize the safety of those on the road and the car itself. European carmakers have taken the lead in experimenting with external airbags in a bid to protect the pedestrians and cyclists in the event of in-head collision with cars.
The study of External AirBags
Cranfield University, Bedfordshire conducted such a research of external airbags by fitting them just beneath the bonnet. When the sensors indicate a possible collision with pedestrian, the airbags under the bonnet will inflate to offer buffer so the vehicle does not hit the pedestrian or the cyclist, while making sure the inflating of airbags just below the bonnet does not interfere with the driver’s vision. Major automakers including Volvo etc., have conducted similar tests across and the results have been encouraging with a potential to reduce the accident fatalities by almost 50%.
