INTERIOR: SEATS, STEERING WHEEL AND DOOR PANELS AUTOMATICALLY IN PROTECTION POSITION
Things also start to move in the interior if the electronics have calculated the high probability of an accident. The purpose of these measures is to ensure that the occupants are placed in the most protected position possible even before the impact:
- Automatic seat adjustment lowers the seat cushion to the rear if required and adjusts the backrest to the best possible position so that the airbag and seat belt can function with optimum effect.
- The belt tensioners are already activated before the impact, preventing the occupants from moving too far forward during emergency braking or preventing excessive lateral movements of the torso if the car begins to skid. Tests carried out by Mercedes engineers show that the PRE-SAFE belt tensioner is able to reduce forward body movement by up to 150 millimetres and lateral movement by up to 300 millimetres. This means that the occupants are in the best possible seating position when the impact occurs, enabling the airbags to carry out their protective function to the full.
- A knee protector automatically extends from the instrument panel to reduce the forces acting on the legs during a frontal impact. It would also be conceivable to install interior door panels that move towards the occupants before the crash and keep them away from any body components that might penetrate into the interior during the accident. Extending panels on the insides of the B-pillars could carry out the same protective function.