Nissan has developed an innovative "pop-up engine hood" to help reduce head impact injuries in the event of a pedestrian collision. The new safety feature will debut on the new Skyline coupe, set for release this fall in Japan.
The concept of the pop-up hood is based on a very simple principle: in the case of a car-pedestrian collision, for instance, the engine hood is designed to pop-up automatically in a few milliseconds to help create a protective buffer space between the hood and the engine components underneath. Upon impact, a sensor incorporated in the bumper activates the pop-up control-unit which in turn will trigger an explosive actuator that raises the hood.This special hood also allows car designers greater freedom in having to balance the aesthetic of a streamlined hood design with the safety benefits of adding more protective space over the engine components.With such innovative technologies, Nissan is committed to building safer vehicles. In Japan, the company's safety philosophy includes cutting in half the number of traffic fatalities or serious injuries involving Nissan vehicles by 2015 compared with the level in 1995.
photo: Nissan