GM front center airbag is industry’s first

Having airbags that work properly in a vehicle would go a long way in making sure the safety of the vehicle’s occupants are preserved in the event of an accident, but of course, nothing can substitute careful and calculated driving as no one would want to get into an accident on purpose anyways (save for the suicidal). Well, we’ve seen frontal, roof-mounted and rear-window airbags to date, so is there any other ground which has yet to be covered by vehicle manufacturers?

The answer is yes – General Motors (GM) recently announced something that when you think about it, you might just slap your forehead and ask, “Now why didn’t I think about something so obvious before?”. We’re talking about the industry’s first front center airbag that will debut in selected vehicles a couple of years from now, and the most recent addition to the airbag family intends to protect drivers and front passengers in the event of side impact crashes.

It will deploy from the right side of the driver’s seat, where the front center airbag positions itself between the front seats that are located near the center of the vehicle. Not only that, it also doubles up as an energy-absorbing cushion between the driver and the front passenger, working as a restraint whenever the driver is the sole front occupant of the vehicle.

Expect the front center airbag to make an appearance on the Buick Enclave, GMC Arcadia and Chevrolet Traverse midsize crossovers in 2013.

Edwin Kee
Categories: Transportation
Tags: general motors, gm