First model to be equipped is 2003 Accord



Torrance, CA 08/08/2002 -- Honda is introducing a new, rapidly deploying side curtain airbag that protects vehicle occupants from head and neck injuries in the event of a side collision. The side curtain airbag deploys over a wide area to protect both front and rear seat occupants, especially from head impacts to the center pillar. The first Honda to be equipped with the new airbags is the new 2003 Accord, available in September.
The new side curtain airbag is the latest product of Honda's airbag philosophy, developed to effectively protect the heads and necks of occupants with a variety of physiques in a variety of positions in the event of a side collision, without causing any collateral injury. In order to deploy the airbag to cover almost the entire side window surface instantaneously, the airbag is fitted with a low-temperature gas (compressed helium) inflator that achieves a deployment speed of approximately 0.015sec. This rapid deployment speed allows the bag to be made thicker for more effective impact absorption, reducing the shock to the head area at time of impact.

The system uses five impact sensors located in the middle of the vehicle and beside the left and right front seat occupants, along with sensors positioned next to the rear seat occupants. This permits optimum control over the inflation timing of the side curtain airbag and side airbags, depending on the form of side impact involved.

Honda first began basic airbag research in 1971. In 1987, it was the first Japanese auto maker to introduce a driver-side SRS airbag system. Honda independently developed its own airbag technology, including installation positioning, inflator characteristics, bag folding and storage, and various other features. In 1998, the same thinking was further applied to Honda's SRS system, featuring an inflator with a two-stage deployment system depending on the size of the impact, and a side airbag with an occupant posture detection sensor that combined improved occupant protection with reduced risk of collateral injury -- both world firsts.

 

This is always a good thing. How is it different from the side airbags used by other car manufacturers?

 

after it goes off everyone in the car will sound like a 6 year old girl

 

lmao

 

Yeah me too!

 

There are only two -- count them, 2! -- manufacturers with an impeccible air bag record.... perfect, no recalls, no lawsuits, and zero deaths as a result of the actual air bag system, the bags themselves, or the gas and electrical charged use to deploy them.

BMW and HONDA!

In the entire HISTORY of automotive airbags, they are the only two to have never had any problems with their systems. We see and read and hear about all the lawsuits and air bags deploying for no reason, killing kids in front seats, not deploying during a severe collision, the powder burning the skin, and a whole slew of other problems. But these guys have the technology down pat, and have had it for a long time (I think Bimers have had dual SRS standard on all cars since 1993, drivers side since 1988). I know GM had airbags available in the 1970's, but the technology wasn't proven or reliable yet. Mercedes has had drivers SRS since 1985, but again, their record is not PERFECT. I remember watching a show on PBS about the history of automotive safty. That was a stat that stood out to me. That of all the millions of cars on the road today, only BMW and Honda make 100% reliable air bags....... kinda scarry, don't you think?

 

The guy who wrote the C&D piece on the 2003 Accord is an f'ing moron. He listed "side curtain airbags only available on the top end model" as a con, when NO SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS ARE AVAILABLE IN ANY OTHER CAR IN ITS CLASS! The idiot musta been thinking of side airbags, which are standard on all models except DX and LX, I believe.

 

Correction: Camry, Passat, Altima, Mazda 6 and Saturn L has side curtain airbag option.

And to be fair, All are basically newer models from the 6th gen Accords. The C&D article was only a Preview article without formal testing, and the Accord was one of the first in its class to offer side airbags back in 2000.

Uhmm...yeah...and :fawk:

 

Well I thought they were only in upper end vehicles...but in the vehicles listed, they are optional, correct? And the fact that it wasn't a road test had nothing to do with it.

 

I believe they side curtains are currently optional on all of them. The 2001.5 Saturn L had them as optional, then for 2002, the Saturn L had side curtain as a standard equipment in its mid-high trim. But typically GM style of management, Saturn made them optional again for 2003. The Saturn L does not have side airbags though, even as an option.

As for the C&D article, I meant to say that their preview probably did not have final specs. I believe the prices and performance are even estimated.