Curtain airbags on the pillars of a passenger car's cabin are common these days, but the idea was never thought out seriously for the large trucks. Scania's just unveiled next-generation S and R-series trucks are the first ever to offer such rollover protection to the occupants of the truck's cab using side curtain airbags. As far as large trucks are concerned, rollovers are most common and serious types of accidents. The new trucks from Scania are equipped with rollover side curtain airbag that are integrated into the headliner moulding right above the doors. The company believes that this unique feature is likely to reduce causalities out of truck rollover accidents.
Most often, drivers of on-road trucks are forced to put through jerky actions to avoid an oncoming vehicle or any other obstacle. If the truck steers off the road, there is rarely sufficient load-bearing capacity, and so the vehicle may topple onto its side or even roll right over at higher speeds. Since the cabin of a truck is maximum, so are the impacts on the occupants at the event of collision or rollover. Scania has developed both active and passive safety technologies in the new trucks to protect those travelling in the cab.
Scania's rollover side curtain airbag works in tandem with the steering wheel airbag and seat belt pretensioners, thereby ensuring the occupants better chance of survival in case of a rollover accident or collision. It is using advanced occupants protection systems, in which sensors determine when and if the rollover side curtain airbags and any other airbags should be deployed. Furthermore, the steering column beneath the steering wheel has been constructed to absorb impact energy and reduce the impact force to which the driver could be subjected.
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| Scania has developed both active and passive safety technologies in the new trucks for optimum protection to occupants |
Additionally, the modular cab structure out of high-tensile steel and modern assembly techniques has helped to gain increased impact protection for all cab occupants. The new truck models also have greater braking ability, thanks to a repositioned front axle and a lower centre of gravity.