Airbags have been around since the 1970s and have probably saved hundreds of thousands of lives around the world. Over the years, airbag design and operation had improved as new technology became available. From just being employed at the front, airbags began to be installed at the sides to provide additional protection in side impacts and in some cars, there are also airbags to protect the knees.
Thus far, the rear occupants have had only the benefit of curtain airbags which deploy from the ceiling over the windows, providing a degree of protection during a side collision. By closing off the window opening, these curtain airbags have also reduced the possibility of small children being ejected as the car rolls.
Recently, Toyota announced an entirely new airbag location – in the centre of the rear section. Like frontal airbags, this airbag is also classified as a Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) and is the first in the world that can help reduce the severity of secondary injuries incurred by rear-seat passengers in a side collision.
The airbag is fitted in a large, fixed, rear-seat centre console that comes in a version of a Toyota model to be launched in Japan in the near future. When the vehicle is hit side-on, the airbag deploys from the top of the console to act as a barrier that helps lessen injuries caused by passengers colliding with each other or into the console. It is thus suitable only for cars in which there are two rear occupants, such as the Lexus LS460L; in models like the Corolla or Camry, which has space for three persons in the back, such an airbag would not be practical.
As for airbags at the front of the rear passengers, like those in front, this has been examined in the past. Nissan displayed a prototype some years ago where the airbag was stowed behind the front seat. However, an issue that was of concern was the position of the rear occupant which was less predictable that than of the front. Should the passenger be offset too much, the effectiveness of the airbag would be reduced and there could also be injury caused to the passenger so the idea has never gone further than the concept stage.
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Ngarap ke enggau masang "Airbags" ba entuka kitai mayuh tau ngurang ke agi "deaths" ba sida ti kena bebadi ba jalai alun. Ke diatu, telalu mayuh urang udah mati enda berega laban nadai "safety equipment" bansa nya ti tau nyelamat ke sida.
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