Well it’s here after much prototyping. Available in 2013 will be the Volvo V40 featuring the world’s first external airbag. We now all feel a bit safer.

Pedestrian Airbag Technology – a world first

In order to mitigate the consequences if a collision with a pedestrian is unavoidable, the Volvo V40 features newly developed Pedestrian Airbag Technology, a world first. It works like this:

• Sensors in the front bumper register the physical contact between the car and the pedestrian. The rear end of the bonnet is released and at the same time elevated by the deploying airbag.
• The inflated airbag covers the area under the raised bonnet plus approximately one third of the windscreen area and the lower part of the A-pillar.
• The raised bonnet and airbag will help reduce the severity of pedestrian injuries.

More info on the  V40 at www.volvocars.com