General Motors received a patent last month for an exterior airbag. The invention is aimed at providing protection to pedestrians. The airbag is mounted to the “fender region” and before the side door “to provide protection to a pedestrian from impacting the frontal area of a vehicle structure.” In particular, when an impact is detected, the airbag expels from the fender flap to cushion the windshield wipers and “other sharp pieces” on the front of the vehicle. While the most recent, GM is not the first to introduce pedestrian protection airbags. In 2012, Volvo showcased its V40 five-door hatchback featuring a pedestrian airbag spanning the windshield in a similar fashion. This past August, Mercedes-Benz received a patent for a similar A-pillar airbag. The development of this technology is unsurprising in light of the fact that pedestrian deaths account for roughly one-in-seven U.S. traffic deaths.
