Mercedes-Benz: New S-Class has front airbags in the rear

Mercedes-Benz: New S-Class has front airbags in the rear in 2021

The new S-Class will be the world’s first production vehicle to be equipped with front airbags for rear passengers. Mercedes-Benz confirmed this in advance of the announcement of further safety features. Last year, Mercedes-Benz presented the airbags in the rear with the ESF 2019 as the safety concept of the future.

As part of the second partial presentation of the new S-Class scheduled for 29 July, the full premiere of which is scheduled for 2 September, Mercedes-Benz intends to present the vehicle’s safety equipment and driving comfort features.

In the first partial presentation of the new S-Class, Mercedes-Benz presented the second-generation MBUX, which relies on a Xavier-Soc from Nvidia for hardware and displays its contents on a 12.8-inch OLED display. Also new are the 3D driver display with autostereoscopy and the AR head-up display. Up to three screens are available to fund passengers.

Airbags and beltbags in the rear

In the rear, however, there are not only new multimedia equipment, but also safety equipment. Airbags for rear passengers should protect them in the event of a frontal impact. Compared to front airbags, a completely different concept was necessary, as the airbags would have to be able to adapt, for example, when hitting child seats. Mercedes-Benz combines the airbags in the rear with beltbags, inflatable seatbelts.

World first rear-seat airbags will be seen in upcoming 2021

Presented for the first time at ESF 2019

The idea of the airbag for rear-seat passengers was presented for the first time at Mercedes-Benz in the Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESF) 2019, when various safety concepts of the future were presented on the basis of a GLE. There was also an integral side airbag, which unfolds from both sides of the seat and protects the occupants like a cocoon. That was just over a year ago and will make it to series production in September at least with the airbags in the rear.

The rear airbag comes from the backrest

In the ESF 2019, airbags are installed in the backrests of the front seats, which inflate in the form of a passenger airbag, but manage with a much lower gas discharge of 16 litres, which is distributed in a hose system, which serves as the basic structure of the airbag, while a membrane developed by Mercedes-Benz unfolds in between, forming the remaining airbag.

Vehicle lifts in case of side collision

The new S-Class also includes the "Pre Safe Impulse Side" safety system, which uses radar sensors to detect an imminent side collision. Until now, the driver or front passenger has been moved by means of air cushions in the seat to the center of the vehicle in order to reduce the consequences of a side impact. In the S-Class, the system simultaneously lifts the entire vehicle in conjunction with the E-active Body Control suspension in order to steer the impact onto stiffer structures.