Chrysler is announcing today that it will add 4,278 Dodge Vipers ranging from the 2003 to 2004 model year to a previous recall affecting the Jeep Liberty and Grand Cherokee.

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Scion’s quirky sub-compact iQ city car is undergoing a voluntary recall in the 2012 and 2013 model years because the passenger airbag might not deploy properly.  Continue Reading…

Touting itself as the world’s safest car, this vehicle wears its airbags on the outside – a unique concept, but would you want to drive it?

Named the iSAVE-SC1, this vehicle was developed by Humanix, a Japanese company, and  Hiroshima University. Not only is this electric car outfitted with an inflated exterior, it comes equipped with three wheels and can only reach a top speed of 50km/h.

We’re wondering if the iSAVE-SC1 got into an accident going at top speed, would it just bounce off the other vehicle? And what happens after the accident – do you just pull up to an air pump, inflate the air bags and drive away? And what happens if you pit two of these cars against each other – could you use them as bumper cars?

The iSAVE-SC1 cars will go on sale in Japan for US$10,400. What do you think? Would you buy one of these super-safe cars? Are they even practical? Let us know in the comments section below. And be sure to watch the video of the car after the jump.

[Source: Oh Gizmo!]

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General Motors will be offering the industry’s first front center air bag in select vehicles. This inflatable restraint will help to protect drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle.

You’re going to have to wait a bit for the new front center air bag – it will be introduced on the 2013 Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Chevrolet Traverse midsize crossovers (it will come standard on Acadia and Traverse with power seats and all Enclaves).

Here’s how it works: found in between the front row seats near the center of the vehicle, the tethered, tubular air bag deploys from the right side of the driver’s seat. It protects the driver when they are the only occupant in the event of a passenger-side crash. When there is a driver and a front passenger, it acts as energy absorbing cushion in both driver- and passenger-side crashes. As well, it will offer protection if your vehicle is involved in a rollover accident.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System database, far-side impact crashes account 11 percent of the belted front occupant fatalities in non-rollover impacts between 2004 and 2009 involving 1999 model year or newer vehicles. The stats go on to show that in these far-side fatalities, where the occupant is on the non-struck side of the vehicle, also represent 29 percent of all the belted front occupant fatalities in side impact crashes.

Partnering with technology supplier Takata, GM’s front center air bag took three years to develop. It went through a series of designs to address packaging, cushioning, and restraint issues that could occur in different crash and occupant position scenarios.

Even though the front center air bag is not required by federal regulation, it will add to the vehicles’ third-party crash test performance results. “The front center airbag has real potential to save lives in side crashes,” said Adrian Lund, president of the insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  “GM and Takata are to be commended for taking the lead in this important area.”

Watch the video of the air bag in action after the jump.

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Nissan has had a successful year with the Nissan Juke, Cube, Leaf and Infiniti M37/56  on the list of 2011 top safety picks. Today, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the 2011 Nissan Juke a “Top Safety Pick” rating. The Juke earned this award by earning a “good” rating in front, rear and side impact protection, coupled with electronic stability control as well as good roof strength.

“Nissan’s commitment to safety and innovation is reflected in the Nissan Juke receiving the Top Safety Pick from IIHS,” said Brian Carolin, senior vice president, Sales and Marketing, Nissan North America, Inc. “The Nissan Juke has a unique combination of motorsports-inspired design and unexpected levels of technology and safety features– all with a starting MSRP under $19,000.”

All 2011 Juke models come equipped with the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS) with dual-stage, dual-threshold front air bags as well as seat belt and occupant classification sensors. There are also roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags for front and rear outboard occupant head protection. There are also seat mounted driver and front passendger side-impact supplemental air bags and front-seat Active Head Restraints. Other standard equipment includes LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) system, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) and Traction Control System (TCS).

Check out our review of the Nissan Juke, and JukeForums.com for more info.