|
![]() |
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
![]() | #16 | |
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon
Posts: 5,743
Thanked: 4,211 Times
| ![]() Quote:
I think ajmat has said it. If you look closely on the image, you see clear indentations on the left bumper and the bonnet which would have led to the left passenger airbag deploying. on the other hand, despite the bumper getting ripped off from the front - there is no indentation. So stupid as it may sound, the hit on the right front fender took out the bumper but the RH sensors did not sense a frontal impact. As the car spun and impacted on the LHS, the LHS airbag deployed. Just as unfortunate as that - in my little read of it. that said, I would want a button if I ever have a car like that - to be able to choose (i.e set configuration) multiple airbag deployment from a single collision, or atleast ensure that all the airbags in a plane of impact deploy. Clearly the obvious use case that mercedes missed/did not test adequately was that impact on the LHS and RH front fender can kill the driver sitting in the LHS. So a "frugal"/conservative (if i may say so) machine logic from Mercedes cost him his life. Personally if I have a car as well equipped as that - I'd want every darned airbag to deploy. The sensor's linear logic failed in this clearly random accident (and which is what accidents are - unplanned, and random). I have a different but dumber question - what if tomorrow I drive such a car and end up hitting a tree. just because the impact is on one side doesn't mean that the other airbag should not deploy? I think not. The shock/compressive forces don't particularly distinguish all of that! Last edited by phamilyman : 18th November 2011 at 22:43. | |
![]() | ![]() |
|
![]() | #17 |
Team-BHP Support ![]() ![]() Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: S'pore/Thrissur
Posts: 5,908
Thanked: 7,638 Times
| ![]() Heartfelt condolences Mark. What Ajmat mentioned could be the likely reason for such an impact, but I they would designed it to have both the airbags deployed in any kind of frontal impacts. AFAIK, manufacturers do provide an option of switching off passenger-side airbag (for safety reasons), but never on the driver side. |
![]() |
![]() | #18 |
BHPian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: mumbai
Posts: 176
Thanked: 11 Times
| ![]() Heartfelt condolences Mr Mark. I am a novice. The sensors for airbags should have been kept all around the vehicle. Even while testing, only frontal impact, collision, crumpling of pillars are tested and not side impact and trigger of airbags. (as far as I have seen in various testing simulations). Not having sensors for side impact could have resulted in the airbags on the driver side (both front and back) not firing since the manufacturers would not have expected such an impact. But in such said to be safest car, these points should have been incorporated. Very sad. |
![]() |
![]() | #19 | |
BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chennai
Posts: 203
Thanked: 32 Times
| ![]() Quote:
| |
![]() |
![]() | #20 |
Team-BHP Support ![]() | ![]() The objective of an airbag is to reduce the human body impacting the hard surfaces. The A pillar is almost as good as an axe which would scythe through any airbag and cause injury |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | #21 |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Bangalore
Posts: 99
Thanked: 11 Times
| ![]() Given the fact that he died while on his way to hospital due to excess blood loss, any amount of impact reduced MIGHT have been useful. And again, the purpose of airbags is to deploy upon impact which didn't happen in this case. We cannot change the fate of my BIL, but there are other lives at stake here. Certainly we don't want big brands to take Indian market for granted and compromise on our safety. |
![]() |
![]() | #22 |
Distinguished - BHPian ![]() ![]() Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai
Posts: 9,645
Thanked: 15,998 Times
| ![]() The airbag starts to deflate as soon as it inflates. It is there in the moments after impact only. Where part of the body has been crushed, and, in turn, crushes someone inside the car, I don't think it could help at all. As ajmat says, that pillar would have been like an axe. It still leaves us with many very valid questions about how airbags work, how they protect, and when the should or should not be activated. If there is not a thread on this, we should have one. Sadest thing, in this thread, is when death strikes someone close to our members. Condolences to you and other family and friends. |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | #23 |
BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chennai
Posts: 203
Thanked: 32 Times
| ![]() This is a complete misfortune that in spite of being in a S class the person lost his life. i would like to know the speed in which the car was travelling, it should have been more than 120 or 140, i think a S class should have fairly stopped quicker if the person was doing 100 or so and not crossed the divider and hit the sides, as the person would have braked when the truck would have it him. |
![]() |
|
![]() | #24 |
Senior - BHPian ![]() Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ghaziabad, U. P
Posts: 1,346
Thanked: 699 Times
| ![]() My condolences to Mark. It is indeed sad that being in one of safest automobiles of the world, the active+passive safety features were not successful. The only thing that gives me shudders is how many times a day do we face a situation which could turn potentially ugly. No amount of defensive driving can help when the other guy is mad. As far as overtaking from left is concerned, as someone pointed out, although it might not have been the case here, it is a practical reality in North India. The slowest vehicles hog the right most lane and never move despite repeated flashing and honking. In fact they expect you to overtake from the left lane. I am not saying its the safest thing to do but it has to be done. |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | #25 |
Distinguished - BHPian ![]() ![]() Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai
Posts: 9,645
Thanked: 15,998 Times
| ![]() Mark, this is not about you, and the last thing I would want to do is to cause you offence at a time of grief. I also think your questions are valid as to what worked and what did not, in this particular car. It is about expectations and responses that seem to be normal, but I think they should be challenged.... People die in an accident: The safety devices failed.In any given situation, one or the other might be true. In general, I think they are fallacies, and very dangerous fallacies. |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | #26 |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: India
Posts: 919
Thanked: 730 Times
| ![]() Instead of cursing Mercedes, how can all forget to blame the real culprit the truckdriver. Its like saying- better to make cars safers instead of making the roads safer, which it totally wrong approach, and this accident proves it. |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | #27 | |
BHPian Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Chennai
Posts: 185
Thanked: 46 Times
| ![]() Quote:
As many of us are trying to understand the circumstances and all to understand better what could have happened, there are many unanswered questions. some of them might be answered by close inspection by Benz itself. Regarding airbags, these can save you when your car body is not damaged so badly as in this case. car body is primary safety and if that is gone airbag not going to save you. and as far i can see there are more than one airbags which got deployed. (those light blue things on back side of damaged body?) what i can infer is that the side bags also got deployed but the entire right side is ripped off and crumbled by impact so driver sustained fatal injuries after airbags got deployed. I can't think much after reading and seeing all these pics. it's very heart wrenching. RIP Nirmal. Amen. :-( Last edited by Suess : 21st November 2011 at 17:24. | |
![]() |
![]() | #28 |
BHPian ![]() Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Delhi
Posts: 552
Thanked: 504 Times
| ![]() That makes me think what if the S Class' airbags system was designed for right hand drive? In that case, the car would assume that the driver is on left instead of right. But then Mercedes would not ignore such a thing, I think. |
![]() |
![]() | #29 | |
Team-BHP Support ![]() ![]() | ![]() I'm deeply saddened by your accident, Mark, please accept our condolences. May God give you & your family the strength to cope with this tragic loss. There is an update on the case: Court asks police to file case against 11 auto company officials Quote:
This matter needs its own independent discussion, hence the posts have been moved out of the Accidents in India thread. All of us should remember that there is no such thing as a death-proof car. I'm going to be keenly following this case, and also the findings of the government authorities. Please drive safe, guys. Indian roads couldn't have been any more dangerous, what with our poor driver training standards, shoddily maintained vehicles and an absolute disregard for life & other road users. EDIT : While on the topic of airbags being deployed, I'm thinking.....in a severe accident, irrespective of the point of impact, why not have all airbags deploy by default (or atleast those around the seats that are occupied by passengers)? It's not like they are going to harm anyone, but they can sure save a life. I think the lobby of insurance companies has a hand in the selective activation of airbags. Last edited by GTO : 10th December 2011 at 13:41. | |
![]() | ![]() |
![]() | #30 | |
BANNED | ![]() I offer my condolences too, to the bereaved family. I appreciate Ajmat's objective point below. Quote:
| |
![]() |