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External Airbag Designed to Protect Pedestrians
Thanks to researchers at Cranfield University, you don't have to feel bad when you plow into a group of pedestrians who are crossing the street too slowly. They have designed an external airbag that mounts to your hood at the base of the windshield. Research shows that this is the area where a pedestrian's head is most likely to hit in an accident. "Test results indicate that the system works extremely well. When fitted to a demonstrator vehicle not originally designed with pedestrian protection in mind, the results were well inside all current legal criteria for pedestrian protection currently in force in Europe," Roger Hardy of the university's Cranfield Impact Centre said.
I really want to bounce off a car with this!
Why is it so hard to only have politicians for a few years, then have them go away?
Thats silly. More often people get drug under an SUV
What we really need are cowcatchers, like on trains, so that the pedestrians don't get stuck under the wheels and jam them. :-)
Bruce Perens.
The summary indicates that it works well when applied to a vehicle not originally designed for pedestrian protection. They say this in conjunction with research indicating where a pedestrian's head will hit.
I'm sorry, but what cars are designed with pedestrian protection in mind in scenarios that would involve striking a pedestrian such that his head would hit my windshield?
Also, if I'm protecting the pedestrian, do I lose my entire field of view, and end up running down other pedestrians?
Take it to the limit, everybody to the limit, come on, everybody fhqwhgads.
I can see someone changing the windshield wipers and all the sudden............
Sig? No thanks. I don't smoke.
Yeah, the impact from the car won't scratch you, but when it shoves you into a stationary lamp post or wall at 45 mph you will still splatter.
My humor is probably your flamebait
In the ongoing spirit of computer/car comparisons, I suggest we install an airbag on computers to deploy when inept users approach in the hope of repelling them.
Actually, maybe I'll just put one of these on the entrance to my cubicle to keep the salesmen away.
As Jimmy Carr would say... "Where's the ad for swerving?" "slow down, take the edge off, but it must learn its lesson!"
I guess this means I can start going back to farmers markets that don't already have protection from being massacred by elderly drivers.
Note to self: one in six is pretty shitty, especially since that's life-threatening, not life-ending. Must go faster to reduce chance of victim surviving. Or make sure to get the head beneath the tires.
Oops -- was that my out-loud voice?
"Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
I say we mount spikes on the grills of our vehicles, so pedestrians will know to get the hell out of our way! Like most attempts to coddle the clueless, won't widespread adoption of this just result in even more careless pedestrians? Besides which, when I point my vehicle at someone and accelerate, I wanna make sure they die, not get thrown safely clear and live to sue me. Besides which, some people would never buy a car with this feature.
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
I mean, if I got hit by a car, I might appreciate that they'd paid extra for it, but since I'm not likely to hit myself with my car (unless my wife tries to run me down), why would I pay extra?
Unless this is mandated, it won't catch on.
What is this going to do to our Death Race 2000 scores?
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
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he might die permanently Yeah, I hate it when they just die temporarily... damn zombies!
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
... I want to test it on my dear neighbour ...
. . . button "C" on the cartoon Speed Racer's original Mach 5 activated rotating saws at the front, that were able to clear the way of *anything*.
We might need to adjust the regulations for pedestrian protection for this to be offered as standard equipment.
Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
"The system uses radar and infrared technology to 'pre-detect' a collision..."
Normal airbags inflate post-collision, but before you smack into the steering column. These new systems (1) detect imminent collisions and (2) react automatically. Am I stuck in 2004, or is that new?
...some idiot plowed deliberately through the crowd at a Queen's Day rally in an apparent attempt to commit suicide and take the Royal family with him. Seven people died. Since this was live on national TV, there is surreal broadcast-quality footage that makes it look like some bad movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1Vs-9tfkX0
First thing in my mind when I read this post. //Dutch.
I wonder just how somebody like this stupid oxygen thief (woman killed a motorcyclist because she was too busy doing her nails to actually drive her car) might think "It's OK if I hit somebody now - I have this airbag!".
www.eFax.com are spammers
http://www.autoliv.com/wps/wcm/connect/autoliv/Home/What+We+Do/Research/Some%20Projects
Or is it news because Americans just figured out something that others have known for years?
Lock up your daughters! A pillow on the hood of the car? As if they needed any MORE encouragement...
If we are going to rely on the government to protect us, then wouldn't it be much cheaper to make all pedestrians wear helmets than try and fit this on every car made?
Not to mention the cost of replacement is so much cheaper. If you kill a pedestrian you still have to replace your airbag, but if the pedestrian wearing a helmet dies then no new helmet need be purchased.
To put more people in jail for DUI's. Personally, I hope it works.
because when you're driving through town you won't want to slow down enough that the sneaky pedestrians can bounce off your car just to set off the air bag.
Seriously, if anyone sees this on a car they'll be trying to set it off all the time. Especially if it costs the driver a thousand bucks just to get it reset.
Once I was a four stone apology. Now I am two separate gorillas.
The pedestrians should be the ones fitted with airbags.
Once I was a four stone apology. Now I am two separate gorillas.
Haven't we all seen the one where there's a large inflatable thing in the middle of a lake with a kid on it. A heavy adult jumps onto it from something high, and LAUNCHES the young child in the air like a flailing sack of potatos...
Someone find the link, I hate video sites.
Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
This is seriously awesome. I applaud the good work these researchers are doing. However, this line caught my eye:
The system uses radar and infrared technology to "pre-detect" a collision and inflates quickly enough to cushion the impact, said Roger Hardy of the university's Cranfield Impact Centre.
It seems possible that such a sensor could be duped with false input on the proper frequencies, causing the bag to deploy. This would likely be a malicious and expensive prank, as well as obstructing the drivers view. Of course, it would require technical expertise, putting it out of reach of most pranksters.
What I really want is an iron spike in the center of the steering wheel. Then the people who should be driving instead of [pick the distraction] would actually pay attention to the task at hand.
[John]
Shit better not happen!
By a new sport by drivers to see how high they can bounce pedestrians.
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
In any scary movie when the good guys get on the car and then try to mow down the bad guys with the car they have some measure of success. With this external airbag I'm not sure this is going to work very well... We must provide more anti-zombie (and anti-raptor) features in cars. I mean... give me a car advertised as "20% more likely to survive a zombie attack" and I'm right there.
this idea.
Last year, we read about/or i read about:
http://corporate.honda.com/safety/details.aspx?id=pedestrian
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/lifestyle/autos/news/article_1435518.php/Honda_improves_pedestrian_safety_with_new_generation_dummies
http://world.honda.com/news/2004/4040824_02.html
https://www.japancorp.net/Article.Asp?Art_ID=8166
Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
But what about the front of the car that takes out your legs? Plus, the airbag at the windshield seems like it wouldn't help since it's barely above the hood across the center.
..and look around you when you are walking around. I'm sure many of us have seen people just blindly walk into the road figuring 'well, I have the right of way, car must stop'... Defensive driving is about paying attention and looking ahead. The same applies when you are walking around. If you are walking into traffic without paying attention, it's 'evolution in action'. This sort of safety mechanism is stupid and expensive and really won't do much to save lives. If you get hit by a car at anything over 20kph, you'll likely spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair drooling.
A good handbrake slide will catch the pedestrian better as you'll have more surface area, and it'll be a long time before they think to deploy airbags on the outside of your side!
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
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Autoliv already sells something like this to OEMs and/or is developing it.
Autolive ped protection
Will this help deer, elk and moose, which get hit a lot more often than people (just ask Google :-)? Or the driver in the case of a 1000 pound moose hitting the windshield?
.. your head bounced off the external airback, as you fall to the ground, hitting breaking your skull on the pavement. Ohhh I see where this is going, you can now sue the city instead of the driver.
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It seems like we're fighting this never ending battle to shove more worthless equipment into cars while at the same time attempting to increase fuel efficiency. We'll never be able to have both. Every ill-conceived and improperly tested safety feature that's put in a vehicle will either increase its weight, sap power from the engine, or both. Call me nostalgic if you want, but I miss the cars of 20 to 30 years ago: Light, fuel efficient, and simple. I highly doubt that any of the cars coming out today will be running a few decades from now, what with all the cheaply made electronics that are essential to their function.
If you want my two cents, I'd say that all cars should be made with five-point safety harnesses and a roll cage integrated into the frame. This would be light, not require constant electronic monitoring of status, and sufficiently protect the vehicle's occupants. After all, race drivers have had these for years with mostly positive outcomes.
I think we should all move to three horsepower rubber cars with a planter in the back, and drop all speed limits to zero.
Do not mock my vision of impractical footwear
I saw this idea implemented on a Jaguar years ago on an episode of the Australian TV show, "Beyond Tomorrow".
So it can't be patented due to prior art,
what does this add to the cost of a car?
Post Anonymously, be a Jackass.
After Perfect Karma
Post Anonymously, be a Jackass.
If you add spikes, the moose don't go through the windshield
Wait, remind me again: which is worth more points, hitting clowns or mimes? This is gonna be fun!
"I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist"
I've read recently about some. Do not remember which one that was.
...a stunned silence fell upon the hall.
I don't have even a single internal airbag!
The best planning can be done after the project completes.
If all car makers agree to fit all cars with cushion on the perimeter of the car x metre from the ground, I bet insurance cost won't be as high as it is right now.
If you delay pleasure infinitely, the pleasure will be infinite. (YM)
How do they really test this, other than have some people with a death wish stand around and wait for the test driver to run them down? Test dummies will never do the job properly, so what do they use for the test, sex offenders?
Will it really help ? All it would take is a small compensation on the drivers behalf to negate any advantage ("ohh: I have the latest pedestrian airbags; I can drive a little faster in crowded streets.")
You're supposed to avoid obstructions in the road.
Yup, he's a prick for standing where he was, but you still have the duty to avoid him and pass him safely. He doesn't have the duty to move aside.
If you really think it necessary, your only recourse is to call the police and get him done for obstruction of traffic.
But he doesn't have to move out of the way for you.
If you hit pedestrians while driving (and it's your fault, not the pedestrian who ran out without looking), you don't get to drive anymore.
Without seatbelts, airbags do exponentially more harm than good.
In the US they took dueling away from us in the 1800s. President Andrew Jackson used to get rid of a lot of fools that way. In the 20th century they kept suing to protect idiots and fools who would for example put their hand into a trash truck compactor. Put a sign on the side of the trash truck "Don't put hand and feet into compactor." Then they had them put it in multiple languages. Now they want to protect them if they get hit in the street. So how exactly are we to get rid of idiots and fools in the future? Let's bring back the Duel.
...that black guy that's too cool to walk fast enough to get out of the street before the light turns green.
Mod me down for racism but we've all seen it.
Why not put a safety jacket (with air bags if you want) + an helmet on every pedestrian ? ;) (even for old car models)
Much safer this way
I can't call that English
It won't take long for homeless people to figure out it's a free bed with a pillow.
Like the Dodge RAM. Hard to believe a company with the RAM and the Nitro (for a gas-powered vehicle!) couldn't make it work. "The Nitro. Made to crash and burn!"
Let's face it. Even the name Dodge means you'd better watch out.
I was holding out for the Dodge Genocide: "Be the last person on your block to own one!"
Is the quality of driving so bad that now there is no longer the expectation that a driver will attempt to avoid hitting a pedestrian? Have we completely given up on improving driver skills and pedestrian awareness? Now we're going to concentrate on mitigating the consequences of reckless and incompetent driving?
Good lord.
1) The vehicle code says pedestrians have the right of way. Physics says the 3000lb vehicle has the right of way. One of those rules may override the other.
2) I see more and more idiot pedestians walking or riding bikes out in front of cars, and kids playing in the street. You can try to protect everyone from stupidity, but you're going to fail, because nothing is more ingenious than an idiot.
3) Yes, drivers need to be more careful. But pedestrians, carrying around the short end of the momentum stick, need to be even more more careful.
[Shrug]
I don't now!