Accident prevention has evolved so much in modern automobiles that Mercedes-Benz is now focusing its efforts on diminishing the effects of collisions. The most innovative safety advancement on the horizon may be the braking bag — an airbag for your car that inflates 80 to 100 milliseconds before collision to dilute the physics of impact.
The German manufacturer detailed upcoming advancements in its traveling safety showcase, the ESF 2009 (a Mercedes S400 hybrid), for the automotive media at its U.S. headquarters in Montvale, N.J.
Among the ESF 2009's safety features, not yet available, are: the braking bag; gas-fired metal guardrails in the side doors; an innovative child safety seat that is open in the back; interior airbags to protect occupants in rollovers (i.e. so they don't land on each other); and, a shoulder-strap belt bag for rear-seat passengers.
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