[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Volvo seems to consider that either pedestrians or drivers, or both, have sub-par sense of safety and self-preservation.

LOL. Interesting way to look at it. I would much rather call it idiot-proofing the system. I mean, in Europe, they place a great value on each life saved, no?

@ssh man - don't mind me asking - but how did you survive such a solid hit? That kinda hit is mostly fatal.

@libran: Firstly, that kinda accident does result in windshield impact! Then, the cost is not really prohibitive (once common) but even in India, think of this: cost of consumables (just bonnet mechanism + airbag unlike driver/passenger airbags) vs potential loss of life/limb + paying for hospital / police expenses + living with the guilt is far too much to handle.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

It would be good to know how they improve safety in tibia and other body parts. Comments anyone?

[Hit head = dead] in most equations of pedestrian accidents. Airbags, cars and tibia are replaceable.

Originally Posted by phamilyman

LOL. Interesting way to look at it. I would much rather call it idiot-proofing the system. I mean, in Europe, they place a great value on each life saved, no?

Look at it this way - if the car is going to stop dead at <35 km/h, areas where pedestrians tend to jaywalk might as well have 35 km/h as the speed limit! Seen some of our super-slim flyovers where such speed limits are supposed to be prevalent na? What remains is the enforcement. And the prevalent speed in any of our metros is slower than that anyway.

In any case, what's your reaction to the fact that you just might run up a couple of lakhs INR in repair bills because your car saved a jaywalker (who was breaking the law by stepping on to the road where he was not supposed to)?

[Sutripta]

Hi,
In some modern cars, in the event of a collision, the bonnet is supposed to spring open a couple of inches. This gives a 'soft' platform for the pedestrian to hit.
Volvo is taking it one step further.

Originally Posted by ssh1979

I was hit in an accident in Scotland ... at a speed of 40-50mph

Yours surviving is a miracle. What damage to your legs/ knees?

Regards
Sutripta

[volkman10]

Volvo V40 gets pedestrian airbag!

The Volvo V40 will be fitted with a pedestrian airbag as standard, the company has confirmed.
Volvo's announcement marks the latest step in its stated target that no-one should be killed or injured in a new Volvo by 2020

The system uses seven sensors embedded in the front of the car which transmit signals to a control unit. When the car comes into contact with an object, the control unit evaluates the signals and if it registers what it interprets as a human leg the pedestrian airbag is deployed.

The bonnet hinges are each equipped with pyrotechnic release mechanisms which, when the system is activated, pull out a pin and release the rear of the bonnet panel. At the same time, the airbag, consisting of a sack and a gas hybrid generator, is activated and starts filling with gas. During the inflation sequence the airbag raises the bonnet by 10 centimetres and stays in the raised position

[sgiitk]

I am all for it. One question - given the chaotic traffic in India either it will trigger every day, or if the code is modified to avoid that may never trigger.

[madnish30]

A picture or video of the same would be great, I wonder how can an airbag prevent a Volvo running over a person... Can only reduce the force of impact.

[volkman10]

Volvo may drop pedestrian airbags, as active auto-braking tech takes over!

The next-gen XC90 due in 2015 would maintain the car-maker's reputation by debuting new safety technology, but it would not include the pedestrian airbags - because SUV is a pretty high car. It's also there for the pedestrians and they need to land soft but if the car is high, they land soft anyhow. So no, at the moment not.

“Now we have pedestrian and cyclist safety systems in the car so it stops rather than hitting them and that, by definition, is better. So we focus more on the active safety than on passive, increasing the amount of balloons, that’s not very future forward-looking.”

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...257C2E0008AADB

[jinojohnt]

Good initiative, but one question. Wouldn't a deployed pedestrian airbag severely limit the view for the driver (before the car comes to a stop)?
I am assuming that the driver airbag would not be deployed if a pedestrian is hit, so the driver should be 'allowed' to steer the car to a safe stop to avoid passenger casualities.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by jinojohnt

Good initiative, but one question. Wouldn't a deployed pedestrian airbag severely limit the view for the driver (before the car comes to a stop)?
I am assuming that the driver airbag would not be deployed if a pedestrian is hit, so the driver should be 'allowed' to steer the car to a safe stop to avoid passenger casualities.

I doubt any normal human sole will be in their senses to drive / steer their car to "safety" after they hit a pedestrian. Mostly they will have their brakes jammed in order to prevent a collision and for sure once the collision happens.

All the steering & avoiding will happen ONLY till the moment someone is hit.