Toronto, Ontario — September 20, 2019 — In the wake of Honda’s new passenger airbag, Hyundai has announced its own new-age development in front-seat safety.
The automaker has added a third airbag to its model, designed to inflate between the passenger and the driver in the event of a collision that sets off both front airbags.
The added bag is stored in the driver’s seat. If the driver’s airbag and the passenger’s airbag go off at the same time, the bag inflates and absorbs the force of an impact. It is designed to protect occupants from hitting each other in the moments after the bags have inflated, preventing any secondary injuries.
According to the company, research is now progressing into the next phase. It aims to answer questions such as what happens in the immediate aftermath of the third airbag’s inflation and how to best protect occupants from later injuries that may occur.
Hyundai also says the new design is 500 grams (1.1 pounds) lighter than other automakers’ airbags. Being smaller, the bag is designed to be more readily adaptable to a variety of seat configurations.
The news comes not long after Hyundai announced its development on a different, multi-collision airbag system in January. The brand’s centre airbag system echoes other automakers’ efforts, such as GM’s centre airbag, which was unveiled in 2013.
Hyundai aims to introduce the new technology in 2020, in vehicles that have yet to be announced.
