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View Full Version : New Volvo V40 is the first car to feature pedestrian airbags



thelostone
08-03-2012, 09:16 PM
http://images.gizmag.com/hero/volvov40-15.jpgThe Volvo V40's pedestrian airbags are designed to mitigate a collision with a pedestrian


Debuting at the Geneva Motor Show, the all-new Volvo V40 possesses some high-tech features, including the world's first pedestrian airbag system. The five-door, five-seater sibling to the Volvo C30 features (as standard) front bumper sensors that register the physical contact between the car and a pedestrian. When impact occurs, a section of the bonnet (closest to the windscreen) is released and elevated by the deployment of the airbag. The inflated airbag covers the area under the raised bonnet, around one-third of the windscreen as well as the lower section of the A-pillar. The system is designed to help to reduce the severity of pedestrian injuries.



Furthermore, the system is coupled with Pedestrian Detection technology that can detect if a pedestrian steps out into the road in front of the car. If the driver is unable to respond in time, the car automatically activates the brakes.
The Volvo V40 also features updated City Safety technology, Lane Keeping Aid with haptic auto steering, automatic Road Sign Information, Active High Beam technology and Park Assist Pilot Cross Traffic Alert.
http://images.gizmag.com/inline/volvov40-2.jpg
The interior of the V40 features a fixed panorama glass roof that stretches from the front windscreen to the backrest of the rear seats, interior lighting designed to give a "theater lighting" feel, and a frameless interior rear-view mirror inspired by modern smartphone designs.
The chassis has been designed to offer "a responsive, agile and connected driving experience." The rigid body and low center of gravity reportedly promote an alert, quick-responding character that focuses on the driving experience, yet without compromising the comfort of the ride. The rear monotube dampers feature compression and return damping via the same valve. This gives shorter, faster fluid flow, which in turn means that the damper responds more quickly. In the Sport chassis setting, the car is lowered 10 mm (0.4 in) compared with the Dynamic chassis. Springs and shock absorbers have a firmer setting, resulting in a responsive drive with full control.
The V40 also comes available with a new, fully graphic instrument cluster. This active Thin Film Transistor (TFT) crystal display allows the driver to choose between three graphic themes: Elegance, Eco or Performance.

Diablo13
08-03-2012, 09:36 PM
Some great future safety technology in this car.
It started me thinking though, why can't cars be built with Memory foam collision areas front and back?
The foam could either be covered in a thin laminate which would just break on contact, or else the foam could be behind the panels/bumpers to allow an area of compression which would absorb a lot of the energy of the impact?
Then it would be like getting hit with a mattress, so that whatever you hit would just bounce off! :genius:
Modern safety features seem to be designed to cause less damage after the actual impact, so why not try to reduce the impact damage in the first place?
Surely it can't be that hard, it just needs designers to build in the already existing technology!