Honda showed the work of a new airbag
August 25, 2019Honda demonstrated the operation of a three-chamber airbag of a new type. According to the calculations of the Japanese company, a progressive airbag will improve the protection of the front passenger with a frontal and side impact. Testing was successful: three-chamber airbags will appear on Honda production cars in 2020.
The key difference between the new pillow and the usual airbag with one inflatable compartment is the combination of four components: three sections of the airbag and the “sail panel” between the two extreme compartments. The creators compare the principle of the new airbag with a baseball mitten: a three-chamber pillow neatly catches and slows the passenger’s head, helping to minimize craniocerebral injuries and fractures of the cervical vertebrae.
The most effective technology may be in the event of a side impact or a frontal impact with displacement: three sections reduce the likelihood of injuries resulting from a chaotic rotation of the head or its sliding off the airbag.
Jim Keller, president of Honda’s US R&D branch, said the new development was the result of Honda’s ongoing efforts to improve safety. Keller called the three-chamber pillow “revolutionary technology” and expressed confidence that the new product could save many lives.
