STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Autoliv, a global automotive safety systems supplier, has developed a new anti-sliding airbag that it says is 60 percent lighter than the existing anti-sliding airbag in order to help vehicle manufacturers meet the more stringent CO2 and CAFÉ (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) requirements by reducing weight. The new airbag will be introduced in the new two-door version of the 2009 Renault Megane that will be launched at the upcoming Paris Auto Show. This vehicle will have anti-sliding airbags for both front-seat positions. Anti-sliding airbags are installed in the seat cushion. In a crash the airbag raises the front end of the seat cushion to prevent the occupant from sliding under the seatbelt. This reduces significantly the risk for knee injuries. In addition, it provides a softer deceleration of the occupant since the crash energy can be absorbed more evenly by the frontal airbag when the occupant remains in an upright position.Autoliv’s new lighter-weight airbag concept uses textile fabric for the airbag cushion instead of an airtight flexible canister made of thin welded steel sheets. |
