Protection
Mitigate the consequences of accidents for all road users
If an accident is unavoidable, the consequences for the persons involved in the accident are to be minimized. This task is primarily accomplished by the passive-safety systems.
Protection
We launched two of our pioneering innovations – the stiff passenger cell and the crumple zone – some 50 years ago. Since then, we have been constantly optimising our vehicles' body components. So much so that more than 70 percent of them are now made from high-strength or ultra-high-strength steel.
Airbags and inertia-reel seat belts have become crucial to occupant protection, of course. Mercedes-Benz vehicles are fitted with up to nine airbags, while inertia-reel seat belts with adaptive belt force limiters ensure that occupants are loaded still less in the event of an impact. In the event of a rear impact, the padded areas of the NECK-PRO head restraints are moved within fractions of a second into a position more favorable on accident conditions to reduce the risk of whiplash injuries.
But we don't just think about the occupants of our own vehicles. We also take into account all other road users. For instance, the Active Bonnet on the E-Class enhances pedestrian safety as it is raised up to 50 millimetres practically instantaneously in the event of an accident. The deformation space is increased, while the risk of injury is reduced. Likewise, the underride guards we fit on our trucks help to protect other road users.
Rescue
Even after an accident, safety systems still have a major part to play. Here the focus lies on enabling fast rescue and reducing secondary accidents.
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