Toyota Develops World's First Rear Window Curtain Shield Airbag

Toyota SRS rear window curtain airbag / Toyota

Added protection against rear-end collisions

By Thami Masemola
October 1, 2008 11:31 AM
Filed Under: Japanese, Technology, Toyota

Toyota is known for the production of high-safety vehicles that regularly score five stars at tests conducted by independent organisations like Euro NCAP. Not only do the larger vehicles benefit from its safety programmes, but smaller compact ones do too, like the Yaris for instance with its total of up to six airbags. Toyota will now add on this number by launching what is to be, as far as Toyota’s own research goes, the first ever rear window curtain airbag. It uses a normal Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) to protect rear passengers’ heads if and when benders happen to come from the backside.

The system will be used in the upcoming iQ ultra-compact four-seater city car and will help minimise the severity of head injuries for rear passengers, working together with the headrests.