Accident research indicates that this adaptive airbag control is of particular benefit for collisions occurring between 20 and 35 km/h, as the first airbag deployment stage allows occupants to be cushioned more softly.
Measuring pad recognises the weight category of the front passenger
With the new E-Class, Mercedes-Benz has gone a crucial step further and for the first time incorporated a system which accounts for the body weight of the front-seat passenger when deploying the front-passenger airbag. A special measuring pad in the seat upholstery is used by the electronics to automatically assign the front-seat passenger to one of four weight categories: 1 - 30 kilograms; 31 - 50 kilograms; 51 - 70 kilograms; over 71 kilograms. The airbag can then, for example, trigger both generator stages even in low-impact collisions in order to offer heavier front passengers an ideal level of protection. The second airbag stage will only be deployed for lighter passengers, on the other hand, once a higher severity threshold is reached.
The newly developed measuring pad also monitors seat occupancy, automatically deactivating the airbag, belt tensioner and sidebag on the front-passenger side when the front-passenger seat is unoccupied. The adaptive system therefore helps to reduce the repair bill following an accident.
The front airbags in the new E-Class have an inflated volume of 64 litres on the driver's side and 125 litres on the front-passenger side, while the generators work on acid-free propellant.