Autoliv Inc. – a leading global provider of vehicle safety systems – announced the successful completion of the first-ever crash test using a novel airbag concept designed specifically for e-scooters.
Preliminary findings indicate that this airbag can significantly reduce head and chest injuries sustained by e-scooter riders. This accomplishment represents an important milestone in Autoliv’s ongoing commitment to enhancing safety in the field of micromobility.
With the growing popularity of e-scooters, the world’s cities have become increasingly crowded with various modes of transportation, including pedestrians, cars, bicycles, and now, e-scooters. As the number of e-scooters on the road continues to surge, it has become essential to develop safety solutions tailored specifically to this type of micromobility.
“In a world where there are still too many casualties in the transport system, and when society is evolving rapidly to new ways of mobility, Autoliv is researching new solutions to make the journey safer to anyone’s destination. This first e-scooter test is a good example of the commitment of Autoliv to save more lives, exploring new solutions for one of the new ways of mobility,” says Jordi Lombarte, Autoliv CTO.
“In the unfortunate event where a collision occurs between an e-scooter and a vehicle, the tested airbag solution will reduce the collision force to the head and other parts of the body. The ambition to evaluate protection for e-scooters underlines Autoliv’s strategy to expand beyond occupant safety for light vehicles to safety for mobility and society,” says Cecilia Sunnevång, Autoliv Vice President of Research.
The tested concept airbag for e-scooters will complement the Pedestrian Protection Airbag, PPA, previously introduced by Autoliv. Whereas the airbag for e-scooters is mounted on the e-scooter, the PPA is mounted on a vehicle and deploys along the A-pillar/windshield area. This makes it the only airbag to deploy on the outside of a vehicle. Working together, the two airbags offer increased protection for drivers of e-scooters specifically in the case of a head-to-head collision with a vehicle.
Moreover, additional safety solutions within the area of micromobility are currently being evaluated. One example is the integration of e-scooter driving behavior and unique user insights in the Autoliv Safety Score application. The result of these different efforts is a more comprehensive holistic approach to improve safety in an increasingly micromobile society.
The initial development and subsequent first crash test of the airbag for e-scooters has been done by Autoliv. The ambition is however that the continued work with the airbag will be conducted in close cooperation with partners.
