THE WINDOWBAG: AN INNOVATION IN SIDE IMPACT PROTECTION

Side air bags offer an additional protection to the occupant on the struck side. The structural behavior of the car, the interior door, and side wall trim all play a major role to enhance occupant safety in the variety of side impact collisions on the road. For individuals fatally injured in sideimpact collisions, the head region shows the largest percentage of injury - 58%, because of the large movement of the head resulting in massive contacts with vehicle or intruding parts. Furthermore, 48% of side impacts involving fatalities were single vehicle collisions into a pole or tree. To reduce the likelihood of severe or fatal injuries in these types of crashes, Daimler-Benz has developed with Autoliv Corporation a unique head protection system which is called the Window Bag. A new additional airbag system will provide enhanced protection in side impact collisions. The so-called Window Bag will be installed in some Mercedes cars beginning with the E-Class Sedan for the MY99 and in the new S-Class. For the covering abstract see IRRD E102514.

• Record URL:
  http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/departments/esv/16th/
• Corporate Authors:

  National Highway Safety Advisory Committee

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • BRAMBILA, L KALLINA
• Conference:
  • 16th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles
  • Location: Windsor Ontario, Canada
  • Date: 1998-5-31 to 1998-6-4
• Publication Date: 1998-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 1768-71
• Serial:
  • Issue Number: DOT HS 808 759

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Crash tests; Head; Injuries; Prevention; Side crashes
• ITRD Terms: 1465: Air bag (restraint system); 1648: Impact test (crash); 2163: Injury; 9149: Prevention; 1630: Side impact
• Subject Areas: Research; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00788277
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 3 2000 12:00AM