Revolutionizing Road Safety: The Subaru Forester’s Cyclist Airbag Innovation

According to Carscoops, Subaru has introduced a new type of airbag designed to protect cyclists, which will be featured in the upcoming update of the Forester. The outer airbag system for the Subaru Forester is based on a design first introduced by the Japanese automaker in 2016.

Subaru’s pedestrian safety airbag, introduced nearly a decade ago, is equipped in models such as the Impreza, WRX, Legacy, Crosstrek, and Levorg. This system works by inflating an airbag near the top of the hood, creating a softer impact for pedestrians in the event of a collision with a vehicle.

However, for cyclists who sit at a higher position, this airbag is not as effective.

Subaru first introduced the outer airbag for pedestrian protection in 2016, equipping it in the Impreza and several other models. Image: Subaru.

To address this issue, Subaru modified the design of the outer airbag, extending it to both sides and covering almost the entire width of the windshield. This change aims to protect cyclists in the event of a collision with the A-pillar, one of the stiffest parts of a car.

The Japanese automaker also made adjustments to the upper and lower mounting positions of the airbag, ensuring the safety of both cyclists and pedestrians.

In the past, several companies have introduced “airbags” designed to be worn by cyclists. For instance, the Helite B’Safe airbag vest is similar to the life jackets found on airplanes but inflates much faster.

The Helite B’Safe airbag vest can inflate to protect cyclists in the event of a collision. Image: Helite Airbag.

While these self-worn airbags do offer protection, they are not popular among cyclists and are also quite expensive, costing a few hundred dollars. According to Carscoops, this fact makes Subaru’s initiative to develop external airbags even more commendable.

However, it appears that this special airbag feature will only be available on the Subaru Forester sold in Japan. Carscoops has reached out to Subaru of America regarding the availability of this safety feature in the US market but has not received a response yet.

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