"In addition," Lange added, "people should always wear safety belts because they help to keep them in the proper position if
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| "The dual depth airbag helps us tailor front passenger restraint based on the location of the passenger seat and the force of the crash." (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
The new dual depth airbag is situated behind the dashboard just like the conventional passenger-side airbag, and when required takes only milliseconds to determine the airbag shape needed to be deployed via GM's Sensing Diagnostic Module (SDM). If a smaller airbag is needed, a tether within holds the entire airbag back when gas is vented into the bag from the module housing, reducing the impact on the passenger. The tether would be released for a larger airbag to deploy, and the module-housing
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| "Early indicators show that the dual depth passenger frontal airbag may help us achieve improved scores in frontal crash tests." (Photo: General Motors of Canada) |
Dual depth airbag technology is GM's latest advancement in occupant safety, following a recent announcement that stated electronic stability control and the OnStar safety and security system would become standard on every retail vehicle sold in North America - a move that only excludes some commercial trucks.
"Only GM offers a full range of cars, trucks and SUVs that provide safety features that operate before, during and, thanks to OnStar, after a crash," commented Lange. "Early indicators show that the dual depth passenger frontal airbag may help us achieve improved scores in frontal crash tests."