First details - Mercedes Benz Experimental Safety Vehicle

Posted on 06/10/2009 under: News, Safety, Mercedes Benz

The Mercedes Benz ESF (Experimental Safety Vehicle) showcases all possible safety devices Mercedes Benz cars would feature in the coming years. Such a concept was last shown in 1974 at the Geneva Motor Show. The ESF 2009 features inflatable metal structures designed to save space and weight. The side impact bars are in this list which would be blown to pressures of between 10 and 20 bar. When deflated they weigh lesser and occupy less space allowing other safety devices to be installed.

An auxiliary brake in the floor of the ESF 2009 works with a bag that is similar to air bags present in the cabin, only a lot tougher. The bag inflates if the sensors detect the possibility of collision, slowing down the car as the it drags along the ground. The bag would inflate to compensate for the dive, lifting the car by up to 80mm.

Over to the interiors, and innovation gets even weirder. The standard airbags remain with the restraint systems, but the addition is the seat bolsters that shift the passengers about 50mm towards the centre of the cabin, if the car senses a side impact is about to occur. The other safety features like reflective tyres and air bags installed inside seatbelts makes us wonder why they could not design an airbag that would puff up over the entire car before a collision.

Source: WCF