Aug. 26, 2019—Honda announced last week a new passenger front air bag designed to better protect occupants in frontal collision scenarios, including angled crashes between vehicles or a vehicle and another object.
It is particularly beneficial in angled frontal impacts in which lateral collision forces can cause an occupant's head to rotate severely or slide off the air bag, increasing the chance of serious injury.
Unlike conventional air bag systems that rely on a single inflatable compartment, the new system utilizes four major components: three inflated compartments -- a center chamber and two outward-projecting side chambers that create a wide base across the dash -- along with a "sail panel" that stretches between the two side chambers at their outermost edge. Operating something like a baseball catcher's mitt, the sail panel catches and decelerates the occupant's head while also engaging the side chambers.
Honda plans to begin applying its advanced air bag design to new products in the U.S. in 2020.
