Japan's Subaru looks to enhance pedestrian safety in aging Japan with exterior airbags

Record ID: 876839

  • Title: Japan's Subaru looks to enhance pedestrian safety in aging Japan with exterior airbags
  • Date: 24th May 2017
  • Summary: OTA, JAPAN (MAY 24, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** SUBARU'S XV VEHICLE'S INTERIOR AIRBAGS BEING TESTED IN SIMULATED COLLISION AGAINST METAL WALL SLOW MOTION OF VEHICLE IN CRASH TEST AIRBAGS INFLATED IN DAMAGED VEHICLE VARIOUS OF ENGINEERS INSPECTING VEHICLE JOURNALISTS WATCHING TEST SIGN ON VEHICLE READING (English): "SUBARU NEW XV" SUBARU'S XV VEHICLE'S EXTERIOR AIRBAGS BEING INFLATED IN TEST VARIOUS OF INFLATED EXTERIOR AIRBAGS EXTERIOR AIRBAGS BEING INFLATED IN TEST VARIOUS OF INFLATED EXTERIOR AIRBAGS VARIOUS OF MANAGER OF R&D AND TEST DEPARTMENT, TOSHIYA FURUKAWA, TALKING TO JOURNALISTS FURUKAWA HOLDING AIR-PRESSURE SENSOR BEFORE XV VEHICLE AIR-PRESSURE SENSOR (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) MANAGER OF R&D AND TEST DEPARTMENT OF SUBARU, TOSHIYA FURUKAWA, SAYING: "Fatalities in pedestrian accidents are very high in Japan, especially for the elderly at night time, part of the reason is Japan's the ageing society and the fact that people walk freely outside even during the night as the country is safe. We're determined to tackle the growing fatality of elderly pedestrians." EXTERIOR AIRBAGS BEING INFLATED OVER WINDSHIELD (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) MANAGER OF R&D AND TEST DEPARTMENT OF SUBARU, TOSHIYA FURUKAWA, SAYING: "We'd like to equip this airbags on as many vehicles as possible, but it's not an easy task as it requires a new platform. We'll play around the situation and gradually expand it." VARIOUS OF SUBARU'S XV VEHICLE'S EXTERIOR AIRBAGS BEING TESTED IN SIMULATED COLLISION AGAINST SHOPPING CART EXTERIOR AIRBAGS NOT INFLATED SUBARU'S XV VEHICLE'S EXTERIOR AIRBAGS BEING TESTED IN SIMULATED WATER HAZARD SLOW MOTION OF WATER TEST AND AIRBAGS NOT INFLATING FRONT OF CAR
  • Embargoed: 7th June 2017 10:36
  • Keywords: road safety external airbags pedestrian safety Subaru
  • Location: OTA CITY, JAPAN
  • City: OTA CITY, JAPAN
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Company News Markets,Economic Events
  • Reuters ID: LVA0016I7669X
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Japanese automaker Subaru on Wednesday (May 24) crashed tested cars as it looked to enhance pedestrian safety by equipping exterior airbags on its new vehicles, in a bid to tackle Japan's high pedestrian car accidents fatality.
    In a series of tests at its Ota manufacturing facility, Subaru demonstrated to the media the exterior airbags on its newly launching XV vehicles inflating to reduce damage on humans in a case of collision.
    The test vehicles were also put in situations in which the exterior airbags should not be activated such as hitting a metal wall, a shopping cart and driving through a water obstacle.
    While the number of pedestrian accidents in Japan have been almost halved in last 10 years, the number of deaths remains high, down only 27 percent, according to Japanese Police statistics.
    Subaru's research and development manager Toshiya Furukawa says a growing elderly population in Japan is part of the reason for the fatalities, and said the company was committed to the enhanced safety of elderly pedestrians.
    When the Subaru XV goes on sale on Wednesday, Subaru will become the first Japanese brand to equip exterior airbags on vehicles being sold in Japan.
    Outside and inside Japan, airbag safety is of great concern for Japan's auto industry after domestic airbag manufacturer Takata had to recall 46 million inflators worldwide after a series of air bag-related fatalities and injuries occurred in the United States and other countries.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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