Mercedes-Benz Unveils New Active Seat Belt Buckle Technology
This may not be the most exciting news ever, but it’s definitely one of the cooler things to look forward to in the world of automotive safety. Mercedes-Benz has just unveiled their new active seat belt buckle technology that is designed for the rear passengers.
Essentially the buckles are now power-deployed and emerge from the seats when the rear passenger doors are opened. They’re then illuminated to help ease the process of finding the buckle for the seat belt. For those that have kids or ever had to buckle in kids at night, they’ll know how helpful a simple illumination of the buckle will be for them.
Once the passenger is belted in, the buckle will retract in order to reduce the slack around the pelvis and thorax area. The tech also works in conjunction with the PRE-SAFE system, automatically tensioning the belt if an accident is imminent.
The German luxury automaker announced that the new belt buckles will be offered in an upcoming model, but didn’t specify which one. We wouldn’t be surprised to see it in the next-generation S-Class, which promises to have more technology and more efficiency.
GALLERY: Mercedes-Benz Active Seat Belt Buckle Technology
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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The Little Secret About Seatbelts That Can Take Your Life! July 1998, I was involved in a car crash; I sustained a rather serious injury. People at the scene say, it's one of the worst ones they've witnessed. One car lay crumpled with debris spread throughout the intersection, displaying the severity of the crash A person I know was passing by. He spoke to the Garda I saw two people in a badly crashed car. Their seatbelt's held them up. Seeing their faces I knew the person who was driving. The Garda took note. Following the accident, I was admitted to the Casualty Department of the Adelaide, from there I was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit of Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, where I had an operation for a brain haemorrhage (sub arachnoid initiative, cerebral haematoma/surgical evacuation/temporal lobe epilepsy). Coma; I was in Beaumont ICU for almost two weeks. Afterwards, I was transferred back to the Adelaide. After the operation, when I started to talk, everything seemed so strange. I did not know some members of my family, or friends, where I worked, or what I worked at before my accident. Mentally, I returned to my childhood years. During my three month stay at the Adelaide I had to learn to walk, talk, eat, and communicate with people again. Therapists at Tallaght hospital, helped and started me on the road to recovery; it was hard work and all uphill. In November that year I was transferred to the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dn Laoghaire, where I was a patient in St. Patricks Ward. It was all new to me. New surroundings with new people and Nurses that said, You must do things for yourself now... I received help from therapists at the NRH. I was determined, worked hard, a lot depends on ones self; if it is to be it is up to me! In January 1999, I was transferred from St. Patricks Ward to St. Bridget's Ward, and started to attend The Rehabilitation Unit. Here their aim is to return people to work. After eight months, I was discharged, and finished with most therapists at the hospital. A few years after the car crash, a solicitor needed to meet with me. Shortly after I arrived, I was called into the office. They walked over to their desk and asked me to sit down. After a short time they looked at me and spoke. ...the seat-belt holder almost killed you... Not long after this meeting the same solicitor telephoned my house; they needed clearance from court to pursue this matter? They were asking a person who sustained a lot of head damage; from a fractured skull to a severe brain haemorrhage, to give her permission to proceed? Having a bad memory, I had learned at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, always take notes, After the phone call I noted this on my computer. But after a few minutes, I could not remember to give her the go-ahead to sue the car makers; back in 2004, I didnt know my own name. Killing SeatbeltHuman Rights? The Judge of the High Court spoke to me, sue the car makers... Cannot understand why this never happened. Seat-belts were put in place to save life not take it! Each time you enter a car, the seat belt you wear may take your life. If the side if your car is crashed into the seatbelt holder can stab you in the head. Fourteen years after my car crash, I am very lucky able to write about this. Can AutoGuide help with Human Rights, or who I should contact?
I got this idea of improving the safety belt technology. Can anyone advice me on how to make a company like Mercedes or Volvo be interested in it? It's really a great idea guys please help.