The company claims that its technology can work exactly when the passenger is lying flat in the car, acknowledging that existing solutions do not work in such a scenario. Most people sleep in the car in the standard travel position with their seatbelt on, and while this provides some protection, it's still not as safe as Ford suggests. At least that's what the automaker claims.
If you park your car for a little nap, the Ford system will kick in to protect you like a regular airbag. The airbag can be activated even when the engine is off.
The companies claim that an airbag can protect a sleeping person from head to toe. In fact, this is an airbag that «hug» person in the event of an accident, regardless of the type of collision. The system can operate in side, front and rear collisions.
The patent, which concerns a «cocoon airbag for sleeping passenger protection,» includes mostly technical details about how the technology will work when implemented in a production model. However, the drawings are quite simple and show how the airbag would deploy in the event of a crash.
Ford explains that the cocoon airbag deployed 360 degrees in a circle, essentially holding the passenger in its centre. In this way, the occupant of the vehicle will also be protected from subsequent impacts, especially if the initial impact was severe. The airbag remains active after the first collision, keeping the passenger firmly inside.
The patent also describes energy-absorbing elements to reduce the forces acting on the person. Needless to say, given its design, such an airbag would consist of several elements deploying simultaneously to provide all-round coverage. Thus, it will be integrated not on seats, but and door to provide all-round protection.
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