Autoliv bags tech award from Toyota

At Toyota’s 2008 Annual Global Supplier Convention in Nagoya, Japan, Autoliv – the global leader in automotive safety systems – was honored for its technical contributions to the development of the inflatable curtain for the new Sequoia by Toyota Motor Corporation.

In side-impact collisions, side curtain airbags for head protection have to be fully inflated within 25 milliseconds – four times faster than the blink of an eye. For SUVs and Mini Vans with passengers seated in three rows, this has been especially difficult to achieve due to the size and volume of the airbag cushion. Earlier technology required two gas generators, one at each end of the airbags, in order to fully inflate these large curtain airbag in time.

With new technology, the Sequoia side curtain airbag requires only one gas generator, even though the new airbag has a volume almost twice that of the previous Toyota models. This is achieved by deploying the curtain from the middle, rather than from each end. This innovative technical solution not only reduces cost and weight dramatically, but also offers superior protection and easier installation at the vehicle assembly line. It also frees up space in the vehicle.

This is the third consecutive year Toyota has recognised Autoliv with an award. Last year Autoliv received a technology award for its new seat cushion airbag developed for the Lexus LS460, and in 2006 Autoliv received a Toyota Value Improvement Award.

“We are honored and delighted to have been recognised again this year by Toyota, one of the most demanding vehicle manufacturers in the world,” said Autoliv’s President and CEO Jan Carlson at the award ceremony.

The world’s first inflatable curtain airbags were introduced in 1998 by Autoliv. Last year, Autoliv produced 22 million inflatable curtain airbags for more than 160 different car models.