ZF has developed a fabric housing knee airbag module that it says is up to 30% lighter than a traditional metal housing knee airbag. The production-ready airbag will be launched in 2019 with a European vehicle manufacturer.
“The new ZF fabric housing knee airbag will support a number of industry trends,” said Norbert Kagerer, senior vice president, Occupant Safety Systems Engineering, ZF Friedrichshafen.
“The reduced weight leads to greater efficiency in fuel economy and reduced emissions, while the smaller and flexible packaging will help meet new interior design and safety demands for the electric and autonomous vehicle interiors of the future.”
The company says the new airbag module will enable vehicle manufacturers to optimize interior redesign requirements, such as reinforcing the instrument panel.
The module will be produced using a new manufacturing process that ZF says allows for more precise module package configurations that help to enhance the airbag’s quality and performance. The fabric housing design will be configurable for all markets and light vehicle ranges.