It's fun to imagine lounging in our cars once they start driving themselves, but safety engineers are worried about how to make sure we'll still be protected if there's a crash.
Why it matters: A dashboard-mounted airbag could land like a sucker punch in the back of the head if we've swiveled our chair around to talk to rear-seat passengers.
What's happening: Autoliv, a major supplier of airbags, seatbelts and steering wheels, has developed a new "life cell" airbag, which provides protection regardless of how a driver or passenger is seated.
- When activated, the airbag resembles a protective cocoon.
- Autoliv is working with seat manufacturers to integrate it into the seat frame, allowing for flexible seating configurations.
- The cocoon could help shield the passenger from free-flying objects, including unbuckled backseat occupants or loose items in the vehicle.
- Autoliv is showcasing its airbag this week at AutoMobili-D, the technology exhibition at the Detroit auto show.
Go deeper: The great auto disruption
