I gotta give it to them, Chevrolet keeps impressing
us with their innovations!
The Chevrolet Cruze was already one of the safest
vehicles in its class, having earned five-star overall safety scores from the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for both 2011 and 2012, however
the engineers at Chevy decided to take it one step further for 2013.
For 2013, not only did was the Cruze once again able
to achieve the five-star rating its
known for in NHTSA testing, but the popular compact vehicle can now boast its
originality when it introduces a brand-new air-bag technology. This new
technology is said to be more efficient and less expensive than any other
system that has preceded it.
One thing that Chevrolet was very clear on is that
the industry’s first flexible-venting air bag is just as safe as conventional
dual-stage units.
What makes this system more efficient?
Most airbag systems work by using a complex system
called a dual-inflator system, where one inflator goes off for low-speed
crashes and one for high-speed crashes. The new system coming out for the 2013
Cruze replaces that system on the driver’s-side air bag with a simpler,
flexible vent. Once the airbag deploys,
the driver’s forward momentum pushes unneeded air out through the vent, which
automatically holds on the just enough air to provide crash protection that’s
equivalent to that of traditional systems.
When speaking of the new system Gay Kent, GM general
director of vehicle safety and crashworthiness said: “This new air bag technology is a smart way
to manage crash forces, and is an integral part of Cruze’s continued success in
safety testing… The latest safety rating reflects the confidence we have in its
new and carry-over safety technologies and overall crashworthiness.”
In other Chevy news, the Cruze isn’t the only Chevrolet
model breaking through the market with new air-bag technology for the 2013
model year.
The 2013 Chevy Traverse will feature the auto
industry’s first front center air bag. This new airbag, which is stowed on the
inboard side of the driver's seat, works by inflating between the driver and
the front passenger to keep the two within their own personal space when they
are involved in an accident. This new airbag will help provide additional
protection to front-row occupants in certain side-impact collision scenarios.
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