Toyoda Gosei develops “self-supporting” front centre airbag

Kiyosu, Japan – Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. has developed a new “self-supporting front centre” airbag as a new lineup of its safety systems.

Front centre airbags are installed between the driver and front passenger seats to help prevent occupants from colliding with each other in side impacts.

According to Toyoda Gosei, conventional front centre airbags rely on the centre console box for support during deployment, ensuring the airbag remains upright and effectively absorbs occupant movement.

However, the Japanese group said it has developed a new structure that allows the airbag to stand independently and properly restrain occupants without a centre console box.

The new product, it said, has been developed in anticipation of evolving vehicle interiors driven by the spread of autonomous-driving technologies.

The new design also permits flexible attachment to various seat frames, enabling broader application across future vehicle models, said Toyoda Gosei 17 Dec.