[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by Hammer & Anvil

I am cringing that the bench should have tossed the case out.qOverturned at over 80kmph (which is the fastest speed allowed on Indian roads) case dismissed.

Most of the highways have a speed limit of 90 kmph while Yamuna Express way allows 100kmph.

[jaysmokesleaves]

Originally Posted by Dushyanth

...
So, my point here is it wouldn't have mattered if there was a bull bar at the front of the car, there have been so many instances on other manufacturer's cars which were equipped with only two front airbags like the Fortuner, and the airbags have been deployed even when the vehicle has just toppled and had not undergone any frontal impact. just like the Innova posted before in the same thread.
We shouldn't be pointing our fingers at a bull bar!

Its difficult to comment without knowing the entire details of the crash. However, i agree with you and it must be noted that Toyota offers a nudge guard as an official accessory on its official website.
This nudge guard is similar to the ones available in the aftermarket and not a technical marvel from Toyota. So installing a bull bar should have the same effect as a nudge guard.
I feel Toyota has most likely reduced the number of sensors for triggering airbag deployment.

[aviorp]

I'm curious to know if various manufacturers follow different methods to design the sensors on the bumpers.

This video might be funny, but wonder how such a small impact could actually deploy the airbag.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9EBT7hRfR4

What an Irony, that someone lost a life in an accident, as airbags dint deploy on a Merc.

[Arjun Reddy]

Originally Posted by aviorp

I'm curious to know if various manufacturers follow different methods to design the sensors on the bumpers.

This video might be funny, but wonder how such a small impact could actually deploy the airbag.

What an Irony, that someone lost a life in an accident, as airbags dint deploy on a Merc.

This seems to be some spoof video. Mercedes won't get it so wrong. They are the ones who patented the airbag in the 60s.
That airbag didn't deflate either. Nor was the white powder present. Just my 2 cents.

[jalajprakash]

Originally Posted by jaysmokesleaves

This nudge guard is similar to the ones available in the aftermarket and not a technical marvel from Toyota. So installing a bull bar should have the same effect as a nudge guard.

Even though they might look the same, they can be attached to different points on the vehicle. I read somewhere (might've been this thread) that while the Bull bars are screwed on to the chassis, the nudge guards are stuck on to the bumper itself. This discrepancy can lead to forces being handled differently by the sensors.

[apachelongbow]

there are sensors on the front of the bumper (actually near the front, between the sides and the center), for deploying the front airbags. These sensors are accelerometers which measure acceleration (or deceleration) rate change and if these cross a threshold value, deploy the airbags.
When a car hits a sharp narrow object like a light pole, the sensors may not measure anything because, the point of impact may be local, say between them in middle of the bumper. Then there is a possibility of airbags not deploying.
However airbags are SRS (supplementary restraint system), that means the primary restraint system remains the humble seatbelt. So if the driver/passenger died for not wearing a seatbelt its they who should be blamed alone.

[jalajprakash]

Originally Posted by apachelongbow

there are sensors on the front of the bumper (actually near the front, between the sides and the center), for deploying the front airbags. These sensors are accelerometers which measure acceleration (or deceleration) rate change and if these cross a threshold value, deploy the airbags.
When a car hits a sharp narrow object like a light pole, the sensors may not measure anything because, the point of impact may be local, say between them in middle of the bumper. Then there is a possibility of airbags not deploying.
However airbags are SRS (supplementary restraint system), that means the primary restraint system remains the humble seatbelt. So if the driver/passenger died for not wearing a seatbelt its they who should be blamed alone.

Completely agree with what has been said. I think there is a need to increase the basic requirement for safety equipment though. If airbags come standard in even the cheapest of vehicles, more expensive offerings will no longer be able to quote airbags as a premium feature and would have to up the ante by providing better safety equipment. The government needs remove the ban on radar based safety systems since they offer a lot better detection in case of an accident compared to accelerometers.

Just to keep the argument fair, this would drive the price of the cheapest vehicles up, and the lower end of the market would lose a few customers to the two-wheeler market but I think this is a fair trade off for the better safety of people who pay a little more to get a 4-wheeler still.