Rollover Airbags in All GMs by 2012

With a heart-pounding launch of a dark red Buick Ranier SUV traveling 44 mph off a one-wheel ramp, General Motors Corp. today will unveil its state-of-the-art $10.2 million rollover testing facility in Milford.

[...]

GM also will announce today that by 2012, it will make rollover-enabled air bags standard on all retail vehicles. Currently, the air bags are on 43 percent of light trucks and SUVs. At the new testing facility at its Milford Proving Grounds, GM will perform 150 rollover tests next year in an effort to better understand rollover crashes, unpredictable events that account for less than 3 percent of all crashes but 25 percent of traffic deaths. Nearly 60 percent of SUV fatalities are the result of rollovers. In fact, a driver is twice as likely to die in an SUV rollover as in a car rollover.

The Detroit News

One of the points made in the article is that the results of a rollover are unrepeatable and unpredictable. This is going to make it difficult for manufacturers to effectively cut down on rollover injuries/deaths.

Though, I am interested to see what they can come up with.

Why make an announcement about something that won't be fully implemented for 6 years? The competition will probably have them before that. I hate when GM does this and they do it all the time.

Edited December 5, 200618 yr by I hope GMRULES again

if they truely show promise to reduce injuries/death, Great, but this will keep increasing MSRP and add more weight.

Every single feature adds to the MSRP and the poundage.

This is one more step closer to the 'foam-fill' from Demolition Man.

I noticed they used a Buick Rainier...

... probably because they have so many left.

I can still count the number I've seen in person on 1 hand.

So their going to flip it right. So why does the guy need to polish the bumper? LoL

Why make an announcement about something that won't be fully implemented for 6 years? The competition will probably have them before that. I hate when GM does this and they do it all the time.

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Practically every car has curtain airbags these days. I can't see why adding rollover sensors would take six years.

Practically every car has curtain airbags these days. I can't see why adding rollover sensors would take six years.

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Well... What do you measure? Acceleration? What if you are just taking a hard turn? Velocity? Same as before. Leaning of the vehicle? What if you just decided to slowly drive up an incline at an angle? OK, you might say that at some angle you basically are rolling over, but then the issue is when to deploy the bags.

Maybe it's a combination of measurements...

Here's an idea, just popped in my head... What if they measure the weight normal to each wheel (in the ideal case with a car on level ground, each sensor would read one-fourth the vehicles weight). During the onset of a rollover, first one side of wheels would read zero. The weight measured by the remaining wheels would decrease until they reach a zero load => rollover.

I'de say the big deal isn't adding "a sensor," the issue is what kind of sensor and where to put it. That is what all the research will try to explain.

Well... What do you measure? Acceleration?  What if you are just taking a hard turn? Velocity?  Same as before. Leaning of the vehicle?  What if you just decided to slowly drive up an incline at an angle?  OK, you might say that at some angle you basically are rolling over, but then the issue is when to deploy the bags.

Maybe it's a combination of measurements...

Here's an idea, just popped in my head... What if they measure the weight normal to each wheel (in the ideal case with a car on level ground, each sensor would read one-fourth the vehicles weight).  During the onset of a rollover, first one side of wheels would read zero.  The weight measured by the remaining wheels would decrease until they reach a zero load => rollover. 

I'de say the big deal isn't adding "a sensor," the issue is what kind of sensor and where to put it.  That is what all the research will try to explain.

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But it's not like they have to create the technology from scratch. Ford had it since their 2002 Exploder.

But it's not like they have to create the technology from scratch. Ford had it since their 2002 Exploder.

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If you read the article it says they are on 43% of light trucks and SUVS. GM will increase that to 100% by 2012, as new models arrive.

But it's not like they have to create the technology from scratch. Ford had it since their 2002 Exploder.

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It has to be designed into the structure. They can't just stuff a bunch of airbags into the headliner. I'm assuming as existing models are replaced or updated, they'll incorporate the extra airbags into the new designs, but they won't retrofit existing models.

-RBB

Another reason why I feel safer in my 1964 Super 88 than in

some "modern" CRV or Explorer. That damn car is SOOOOO

wide & low to the ground I think it would take a 90* turn at

120mph to roll it over. even then it would probably just rip

the bias ply tires off the rims & make a lot of sparks but stay

shiny side up in the end.

It has to be designed into the structure.  They can't just stuff a bunch of airbags into the headliner.  I'm assuming as existing models are replaced or updated, they'll incorporate the extra airbags into the new designs, but they won't retrofit existing models.

-RBB

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don't you just love it when GM makes an announcement, and because it's a few years off, they immeadiatly rip on GM for not doing YESTERDAY.

you're right on. by 2012 all the vehicles will have been heavily refreshed or redesign, and it people read the article they'd notice like 43% of SUV's already have them.

Way to go GM. Tell everyone in the year what you will be doing in the next six years. This gives the competition plenty of time to deploy the same technology 2-3 years before GM. GM again will look like a laggard here.

Mark

Every single feature adds to the MSRP and the poundage.

This is one more step closer to the 'foam-fill' from Demolition Man.

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That would rule so hard.

I've wanted a foam-based safety feature in my car ever since I first saw that movie...I might even crash just for the experience.

That would rule so hard.

I've wanted a foam-based safety feature in my car ever since I first saw that movie...I might even crash just for the experience.

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Funny, I was thinking the same thing...

Reminds me of the cylinder deactivation thing that they announced then it seemed like several other companies released production models ahead of them.