car hood airbags protect pedestrians from bad drivers

June 6th, 2008 comments (7) stumble it! digg it! by: karen m.

When I think of airbags, I picture them inside the car. But what if we equipped cars with outer airbags to protect pedestrians?

Toyoda Gosei

That’s exactly what Toyoda Gosei (an offshoot of Toyota) has done with these prototypes: they’ve equipped cars with camera and radar sensors to detect pedestrians and (presumably) activate the outer airbags to protect anyone within range of the car. The hood airbag is supposed to cushion your head while the grill airbag cushions your waist, making the fact that you are getting run over a teensy bit more comfy.

Toyoda Gosei

I’m not sure if these cars look awesomely futuristic, ridiculously stupid, or just plain huggable. And I’m not sure that having a pillow pop out of a car that’s slamming into you is going to help all that much. Still, it’s an interesting concept, and who knows? This may become the norm in the future and won’t seem funny-looking at all. Then again, probably not.

[via Fareastgizmos]

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June 6th, 2008 comments (7): stumble it! digg it! by: karen m.


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comments (7):

  1. Dave Smith says:

    I think it’s an insane idea, but it just might work. Maybe we could just make those with insane traffic violations get these things for their car so we’ll know from afar who to avoid. Coz you can see those things from a mile away, and those aren’t pretty.

  2. asad says:

    this will not work because when a person is hit by the vehicle he is been hit from the bumper if there will be airbags on the bumper i think it will be super safe

  3. james says:

    Lets put these on pedestrians asses…they like to cross the street at any point….or how about one in their brain, so if the cross the street where they are not supossed to, the thing explodes…this way no incent drivers have to pay the price.. :)

  4. Someone else is talking about putting air bags on bike riders. Maybe they should figure out how to make the shells from Speed Racer.

  5. sherry says:

    well I have never been hit by a car,(thank God) but maybe it will protect some, if you dont hit your head on the part of the car that doesent have airbags. or hopfully they dont hit you hard enough to throw you pass the air bags. i dont want to be the one to find out if you can go air born please watch out for little old ladys

  6. Jack says:

    Yes it helps your body for any accident

  7. airbag says:

    I’ve heard of side airbags and curtain bags but never for a hood. This is absurd and probably overkill. Car and truck safety airbags are safer when installed in the steering wheel and dashboard.

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