Summary:
ZF Lifetec, a company spun off from ZF Friedrichshafen AG, has introduced the Active Heel Airbag. Designed to enhance vehicle occupant safety by improving lower-body protection. This system works alongside knee airbags, seat belts, and front airbags. Particularly when front seats are adjusted into a “comfort position.”
During a crash, the position of a passenger’s legs, knees, and feet is crucial for injury prevention. Normally, the vehicle floor provides a stable heel strike point. This allows for a controlled knee path where the femur absorbs impact energy. However, in relaxed seating positions, this heel strike point is missing, increasing the risk of severe leg and foot injuries. According to Harald Lutz, head of development at ZF Lifetec, the Active Heel Airbag inflates under the vehicle’s floor carpet, ensuring proper heel positioning and optimizing knee airbag effectiveness.
One key benefit is that this technology does not require additional space and can be integrated into current vehicles. While the driver’s feet are typically in the correct position during normal driving, future autonomous vehicles will allow passengers to recline more, making this airbag especially useful.
ZF Lifetec, the world’s second-largest passive safety system company, expects the Active Heel Airbag to be available in 2028 for automakers. This development highlights the growing focus on occupant safety as vehicle interiors evolve.
Car Buzz
Read the Full Article
