Note: Sensor placement shown above is illustrative and not to the scale.
ii. Also, the deformation characteristics or damage pattern (howsoever severe it may look to the naked eye) alone cannot indicate if the airbags should have deployed. During a crash/accident, the Vehicle may be deformed significantly without an airbag being deployed. This is the case if parts which are relatively easily deformed are affected and the rate of Vehicle deceleration is relatively low. Conversely an airbag may be deployed even though the Vehicle suffers only minor deformation, if for example, very rigid and/or structural parts such as longitudinal members are hit, as this may result in sufficiently high level of Vehicle deceleration. Hence, factors which can only be seen after a collision has occurred cannot play a decisive role in airbag deployment nor do they provide an indication of airbag deployment.
iii. The airbags are deployed, in a sophisticated manner to ensure its effectiveness in passenger safety. Thus, the deployment of airbags is determined by the distribution of forces during the collision, collision angle, deformation characteristics, the object of impact and its deformation or energy absorbing characteristics.
iv. The front airbags primarily have the function of preventing or mitigating driver’s head contact with the steering wheel and front passenger’s head contact with the dashboard. However, such a situation is only possible if high longitudinal impact forces act on the rigid structure of the Vehicle. Front airbags are not designed to deploy in situations such as rollovers, rear or side collisions, where it cannot provide any additional safety to the occupants.
v. Underride is a special kind of frontal impact situation where the vehicle slides under a larger vehicle like a truck or a trailer. In such collisions, rigid structures of the vehicle are not hit in the very beginning. This may lead to a low deceleration of the Vehicle and the seat belts in such cases generally provide sufficient restraining protection to the occupants. In case of an underride collision at a higher speed, the potential intrusion into the passenger compartment cannot be mitigated by airbags due to structural stiffness in the upper A-pillar region of the Vehicle.
vi. It is important to note that belt tensioners (ETD’s) or airbags are only activated if they can offer added protection over that of the seat belt. Belt tensioners or airbags can only be activated once, and the deployment decision is generally weighed by the SRS control unit / system installed in the Vehicle.
vii. During severe side impacts in the area of the Passenger Section with strong lateral deceleration, the side airbag(s) and window airbag(s) may be activated on the impacted side of the Vehicle. The primary purpose of deploying side airbag is to reduce the risk of severe injuries in the thorax region of a human body. The primary purpose of deploying window curtain airbag is to reduce the potential severe head injuries to the occupants. Side airbag(s) are not designed to deploy during frontal or rear collisions, because a side airbag would not provide an occupant with any added safety benefit during such impacts on account of the occupant kinematics/movements that result from such impacts.
viii. It is important to note that the Vehicle is designed to maintain the integrity of the occupant compartment/ Passenger Section, even in the event of an accident involving significant energy, depending on the impact scenario. This is limited to the accident severity as tested in the worldwide existing crash test standards. For Example, the Vehicle features a crumple zone, which absorbs, reduces, and redirects impact forces to protect the passenger compartment. This zone helps to manage and dissipate the energy of the collision, allowing the Vehicle’s frontal components to absorb impact energy and thereby prevent it from reaching the passenger compartment/ section. As a result, the occupant area/ Passenger Section remains more protected, even if the Vehicle's exterior sustains major visible damage. It is reiterated that visible Vehicle damage cannot and does not indicate that the SRS components must deploy.
The below picture exemplarily depicts Crumple Zones of the Vehicle.
Note: Markings in the picture are illustrative and not to the scale.
D. Important Points
i. Vehicles are carefully engineered to minimize the energy transferred to occupants during a collision, thereby reducing the risk of injury.
ii. It is important to note that there are numerous factors in an accident / collision as stated above which determine the potential impact energy of an accident through various sensors, SRS control unit / system and makes a dynamic decision regarding triggering of Supplemental Restraint System including airbags.
iii. Due to mass inertia, the movement of an occupant during an accident is always contrary to the impacting force. Depending on the direction of force and impact severity, only those restraint system components that may provide a protective effect related to the direction of movement of the occupant are deployed.
iv. The deformation characteristics, the impact speed or damage pattern alone do not determine whether airbags will deploy. This is because the crumple zone is designed to absorb, reduce, and redirect impact forces. If these forces are adequately absorbed and managed by the crumple zone, there may be no need for the airbags to deploy.
v. The seat belt is the Primary Restraint System in the Vehicle, and it is necessary to wear the seatbelts for all the occupants in the Vehicle (both front and rear seat occupants). SRS can provide best possible protection only if safety belts are worn appropriately by the occupants. It is also mandated by law to wear the seatbelt (both for front and rear passengers) when the Vehicle is in use.
vi. The airbag serves ONLY as a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). Airbag deployment is a controlled mechanism as it’s unnecessary deployment can cause serious injuries to the occupant.
vii. Please note that any impact will expose Vehicle occupants to high forces. It is also important to note that no system available today can eliminate injuries and fatalities in every accident situation. In particular, the seat belt and airbag generally do not protect against objects penetrating the Vehicle from outside. It is also not possible to completely rule out the risk of injury to the occupant/s caused by airbag deployment.
viii. Please also read the Owner’s Manual of the Vehicle carefully which may additionally include information about Vehicle specific details.
ix. Please also refer to 'Hazards' and 'Safety' instructions and warnings regarding seat belts and airbags in the manual including the instructions on how to properly sit in the Vehicle enabling the restraint system to work as designed.
x. Please pay special attention towards Child Restraint System’s functioning and operating instructions in the owner’s manual to ensure safety of the child while seated in the Vehicle.
xi. For any further assistance please reach out to our Customer Services team.
Mercedes-Benz India Pvt. Ltd.
Registered Office: E-3, MIDC Chakan – Phase III,
Chakan Industrial Area, Kuruli & Nighoje, Tal: Khed,
Pune - 410 501
(CIN: U34102PN1994PTC083160)
www.mercedes-benz.co.in
Email: cs.ind@cac.mercedes-benz.com
