Upcoming Mercedes-Benz S-Class to feature rear-frontal airbags

KUALA LUMPUR: The soon to launch Mercedes-Benz S-Class is making a lot of news these days, sometimes for its leaked images and other times for its official shoots. The luxurious sedan is back in the news, making headlines as it will be the first production car to feature frontal airbags for rear passengers.

The said information was revealed by the automaker ahead of the car's global debut, i.e., on 3rd September 2020.

As expected, the two rear-frontal airbags will be mounted behind the front seats. The automaker has placed the airbags where we usually have the map packets. Enough about the mounting, now coming to the airbag. It won't be like the typical front airbags; instead, it'll be U-shaped to cradle the rear passenger's head and prevent any shift or movement in case of an accident. From the image shared by Mercedes, the airbags also seem to protect the passenger's knees. Exact details will be revealed with the car's debut.

Whether it'll be restricted to range-topping variants or offered as a standard fitment is still a question. We know for sure that it'll be an option as the company has recently announced this excellent safety feature. Also, the rear airbags will be used along with the Mercedes Belt Bag, wherein smaller airbags inbuilt in the seatbelt inflate in case of an accident.

The ongoing Mercedes-Benz S-Class comes with nine airbags - dual front (driver and front passenger), rear side, driver's knee, and curtain airbags. With the 2021 model getting two more airbags at the rear, the total number of airbags comes to eleven; that's highest in a series production car.

Overall, it is a great safety feature, and we appreciate Mercedes to have come up with it and implementing it in a production model. In the near future, we'd like to see rear-frontal airbags in even low-budget cars. As all lives are essential irrespective of the vehicle, it drives.

Also Read: Mercedes-Benz S-Class to get 2nd-gen MBUX system