The Center Airbag is a feature that will be introduced by General Motors in a certain number of its cars, in order to improve security. This completely new and inovative safety feature is designed to protect the driver and the front passenger, in far-side crashes where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle. The main purpose of this new airbag is to act like an energy absorbing cushion between driver and front passenger in both driver and passenger-side crashes, and it deploys from the right side of the driver’s seat and positions itself between the front row seats near the center of the vehicle. It has been mentioned by General Motors that this new security update should come in handy in rollovers as well, but that hasn’t been tested yet.
“While no restraint technology can address all body regions or all potential injuries, the front center air bag is designed to work with the other air bags and safety belts in the vehicles to collectively deliver an even more comprehensive occupant restraint system,” said Gay Kent, GM executive director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness. “This technology is a further demonstration of GM’s above-and-beyond commitment to provide continuous occupant protection before, during and after a crash.”
Even though this is not a feature required by federal regulation, it will deffinitely appear in GM’s products, achieving Top Safety Picks in IIHS tests.
The first cars to have this airbag will be the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Chevrolet Traverse midsize crossovers in the 2013 model year. This new safety feature will be standard on Acadia and Traverse with power seats and all Enclaves.
Source: MotorWard
