Honda patents compact airbag setup for two-wheelers

- Compact construction will allow for fitment in smaller bikes and scooters

- Small container houses airbag which can be fitted on the headstock

- Honda’s Gold Wing Tour DCT already features airbag installed in the centre console 

With an aim to increase the safety quotient for motorcycle riders, Honda is reportedly working on an airbag system, patent of which has been filed recently. Owing to the compact design of the setup, it can be fitted in commuter motorcycles and scooters, and not only in big bikes. 

Going by the patent images, the airbag deploys vertically from the cockpit area of the two-wheeler, thereby saving the rider from severe injuries in a head-on collision. The illustration shows that the airbag can be stuffed in a small container which can be mounted around the headstock of the bike or a scooter. After the sensors detect a collision, the airbag deploys from both sides of the headstock as the internally compressed air releases. 

Now, the extent of safety this setup will deliver depends on the type of crash. It will be majorly useful in an event of frontal collision when the motorcycle bangs head-on into another vehicle or a solid object. In comparison to the airbags installed in cars, the degree of safety provided from this system will be much lesser.

While the presence of airbags in motorcycles would be unheard of for many people, it is worth noting that Honda’s Gold Wing Tour DCT model already comes equipped with this safety feature. However, the airbag is installed within the huge centre console of the Gold Wing and such a large display is not present in all two-wheelers. The main USP of this new system is its compact size which makes it feasible to be installed in the headstock of any motorcycle or scooter. Now, it remains to be seen when Honda introduces this system in its two-wheeler models.

Source: Visordown