While we most often think of the safety of a car's internal occupants, it's important to remember than a two-ton weapon of mass destruction moving at highway speeds is also extremely dangerous to pedestrians outside the car.
In addition to a new Pedestrian Detection system, Volvo has introduced the world's first external airbags on its new five-door V40. Located at the base of the windshield, the airbag deploys from a cavity that expands upward from the rear of the car's hood in the event of a collision with a pedestrian.
We like this solution to the strict European legislation for pedestrian safety, as it doesn't require significant changes to a car's overall styling while still helping to save lives. Check out a brief demonstration of the technology in a rendered video below, along with a related press release that covers all of the volvo V40's safety equipment.
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