In the near future, being struck by a Mercedes-Benz could become less hazardous thanks to a newly patented external airbag system designed to protect pedestrians during accidents. The details of this innovation were detailed in documents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
This innovative system includes airbags that deploy from the car’s A-pillars, providing cushioning for pedestrians against the car’s rigid structure. Additionally, it features a pop-up hood design reminiscent of Volvo’s previous pedestrian airbag system, which adds further protection upon impact.
The airbags would remain concealed under normal circumstances, stored at the edge of the windshield within a “fabric tube.” According to the patent, this system would minimally affect the driver’s visibility compared to conventional A-pillars. Mercedes-Benz initially filed for this patent in July 2015, but it was only made public recently.
Given Volvo’s decision to discontinue its pedestrian airbag efforts in favor of autonomous braking and designs that reduce collision impact, it raises the question of how Mercedes intends to utilize this new technology.
Considering the rapid advancements in autonomous technologies over the past two years and the tendency of automakers to patent concepts that may never come to fruition, it remains uncertain whether this airbag system will feature in future Mercedes models. Only time will reveal the outcome.
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