General Motors will make rollover-enabled airbags standard on all models by 2012, according to the Detroit News. The announcement came as GM demonstrated crash tests at its brand new $10.2 million rollover testing facility in Milford.
While rollovers make up just 3 percent of all accidents, they account for 25 percent of all traffic deaths. Side curtain airbags and other safety devices that activate during rollover promise to significantly reduce fatalities.
At the Milford facility, GM will be able to conduct a number of different tests. The first is the flying floor test, which simulates a vehicle sliding sideways in soil, gravel or into a curb. The second simulates a driver veering off the side of a road onto a steep embankment, leading to a rollover. The third, called the corkscrew ramp flip-over, is also known as the “Dukes of Hazzard” test (pictured).
12/05, 9:44 AM
posted by:
6ix
Of course if the driver was properly trained and was controlling a vehicle with the appropriately low COG, these additional airbags wouldn’t even be necessary.
Granted, I like all of the crazy airbags I have in my car, but those make me feel safe because they could be used in most instances. This seems to be a waste of money for a very small percentage of accidents. Could we maybe just use the money to pay for proper driver training?
12/05, 9:59 AM
posted by:
wenge
I absolutely agree that most drivers are not properly trained but do you think GM is going to put money into that?
12/05, 10:09 AM
posted by:
chevy490
if gm does go through with this is just another huge step good work gm i really seeyou inproving
12/05, 10:16 AM
posted by:
1952 MG TD
OMG it is Ford Should be offering these as standard on Explorers
12/05, 10:22 AM
posted by:
Thrith
Awesome, now, hopefully Ford will be able to develop a financial rollover airbag.
12/05, 10:22 AM
posted by:
BrokenCadillac…
This is good I guess but since GM’s safety records have always been cough*less-than-steller*cough I am a bit skeptical about their commitment to safety. Deathtraps like the dustbuster minivans, the old Blazers, and 3 star scoring flagships like the old Deville can be forgiven, but sadly even the newer stuff from the General doesn’t give confidence…
http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/02/27/chevrolet-aveo-fails-euro-ncap-test/
12/05, 10:35 AM
posted by:
buenos
I’m not sure this is a huge step. If the general made consistently high-quality and reliable cars, well-thought out, well-made and well designed… THAT would be a huge step.
12/05, 10:59 AM
posted by:
YourNameHere
by 2012 how many SUVs will they be selling (if still in business) this would have been a bigger deal at the start of the SUV crazy…not now.
12/05, 4:08 PM
posted by:
LamborghiniZ
Is that a ****ty GMT-360 SUV in that picture up there? Looks like it, and yeah they better offer whatever airbags they can on those unsafe pieces of ****
12/05, 4:14 PM
posted by:
obsessedwithautos
I thought the Trailblazer was being replaced by the Acadia/Outlook/Enclave crew. I’m sure there’s room for some more badge engineering on the Lambda platform.
12/05, 5:49 PM
posted by:
aznstuart
HAHA, Every Honda from the 13k Fit to the Honda Pilot already has it standard. And GM is going to wait til 2012. What a joke.
12/05, 5:50 PM
posted by:
Oldsmobile
Another GM article, another bashing from BrokenCadillac and LamborghiniZ.
What a Surprise.
12/05, 8:09 PM
posted by:
halflifehavock
(shakes head) Aznstuart, could you be any dumber? Honda doesn’t have the rollover airbags as standard on any of their vehicles. THATS BECAUSE THEY DONT EVEN OFFER IT! Your stupidity can be forgiven because you are thinking about the side impact airbags.
12/05, 8:33 PM
posted by:
Vertical
Reading these comments are always entertaining – some good comments by some intelligent people, and some stupid comments by some morons. GM deserves some credit for doing this if it will save lives. BUT, it’s disturbing that so many auto deaths are blamed on the auto manufacturers these days, as some of you alluded to, instead of to the reckless driving of some people. And the cost of those things is going to raise the cost of GM cars, which GM doesn’t need.
12/05, 8:38 PM
posted by:
radoman93
an idea that will surely be duplicated by others
12/06, 9:42 AM
posted by:
BrokenCadillac…
Duplicate?d, more like beaten to the punch by the rest of the Industry… 2012 is a long time away. Gives plenty of time for the competition to one up the always-late-to-the-party General.