Toyoda Gosei steps up motorcycle airbag development

Kiyosu, Japan – Toyoda Gosei is developing motorcycle airbags leveraging its expertise in safety systems for cars, the Japanese group has announced.

The move is part of TG’s efforts to expand safety systems offerings with the group targeting an “early market launch,” said an 11 June statement.

As part of the development process, TG said it has recently conducted a crash test in-house with real vehicles.

The findings obtained in this test are being used to refine the company’s motorcycle rider protection technology, it added.

In the recent test, the company examined how the airbag deployed in a motorcycle frontal collision, and how it protected the rider.

As the situation of motorcycle riders differs from that of drivers and passengers in cars, TG said it will use ‘real environment tests’ and simulation technology for the development of the airbags going forward.

According to TG, some 360,000 riders of powered two-wheelers and three-wheelers lose their lives annually in traffic accidents.