Volvo adds pedestrian airbag to V40 model

The photo provided by Volvo on March 6, 2013, shows an inflated pedestrian airbag on the new Volvo V40. / AP Photo/Volvo

GENEVA Many drivers buy Volvo for its safety record, but the Swedish carmaker is also trying to make the road safer for those who haven't bought the car.

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What's new at the Geneva Motor Show

The hatchback V40 comes with a pedestrian air bag. If the car hits someone while traveling between 20 kph (12 mph) and 50 kph (30 mph), an air bag slips out from where the car hood meets the windshield. Senior technology specialist for safety Lotta Jakobsson says that impact with that area is responsible for many head injuries when pedestrians slide up the car's hood in an accident.

As Volvo struggles, it's doubling down on its reputation for safety. Its goal is to have no one killed in a Volvo after 2020, once new features are in place.

[cmc1227]

So, the airbag comes up on the windshield and protects the clown that ran out into traffic and then because the driver can't see he drives up on the sidewalk and mows down six innocent bystanders. Sweet!

[enlightenu]

Hopefully he would have hit the brakes before then. It doesn't take long to stop from 30 mph

[st247]

... and the pedestrian slides up the hood, gets a good bounce off the airbag, flies completely over the roof and rear of the car, and, still airborn, gets creamed by the truck driving behind the Volvo. Now that is sweet. You can't make this up.
Seems totally absurd to develop and spend on this technology. Most vehicles go through their entire useful lives until they are shredded at a scrap yard and never have a run-in with a pedestrian. On the other hand, a significantly greater percentage are involved in one or more collisions with other vehicles, and it's likely that interior dashboard and side impact airbags save lives. I.e., lives saved (and injury amelioration) per airbag accident are probably pretty high compared with this hood airbag - you run into a car and the hood airbag only infinitesimally increases your odds.

[Sax1031]

oh this should be great.

hopefully when that airbag deploys it kills the engine. someone will panic and mash the pedal to the floor and be driving blind.