Hyundai developed what it calls "the world’s first panorama sunroof airbag system," which is installed inside the sunroof to provide protection that prevents passengers from being thrown from the roof of the car.
The innovation is made from a tempered glass that expands the openness of the existing sunroof and when necessary—such as in the case of a rollover accident—the sensor will detect the drastic change of angle and deploy the sunroof airbag forward from the rear of the car. As Hyundai notes, "if the car is overturned when the sunroof is closed, the airbag is deployed across between the sunroof glass and the sun shield."
During the developmental road tests for the sunroof airbag system, the dummies used were safely kept in the vehicle, with their heads cushioned to prevent serious injuries from impact.
Sunroof Airbag Systems
Hyundai's Innovation Protects Passengers from Being Thrown from the Vehicle
Trend Themes
1. Panorama Sunroof Airbag Systems - Developing sunroof airbag systems that protect passengers from being thrown from the roof of a car.
2. Tempered Glass Innovations - Creating new uses for tempered glass, such as expanding the openness of sunroofs while maintaining safety.
3. Rollover Accident Sensor Technology - Integrating sensors that detect drastic changes in vehicle angle to deploy safety mechanisms, like sunroof airbags.
Industry Implications
1. Automotive Manufacturing - Implementing sunroof airbag systems as a standard safety feature in vehicles.
2. Glass Manufacturing - Developing advanced tempered glass technology for automotive applications, such as sunroof airbag systems.
3. Sensor Technology - Enhancing sensor technology to detect rollover accidents and deploy appropriate safety measures, like sunroof airbags.