Subaru presents the first external airbag for cyclists

To reduce injuries to cyclists in the event of a collision, the Subaru Forester will equip an external airbag on the hood and windshield to reduce the force of impact.

Subaru thinks of cyclists with the safety measures that will equip its Forester

Although car safety tests have been getting tougher in recent years and have begun to include tests that allow them to be less harmful in the event of a collision, the truth is that being hit by a car is the leading cause of death for cyclists on the road and, among the different types of cars, statistics and tests show that SUVs are among the most dangerous due to their size and height.

The Japanese firm Subaru has thought about this and has developed an airbag designed to be placed on the exterior of the vehicle that can reduce the force of impact in the event of a collision with a cyclist. A device that they will start placing in their Forester model, although for now, only in cars sold in Japan.

RECOMENDADO

Understanding the RPE scale is key to training based on how you feel

Pogacar and the limits of the tire: Roubaix will determine how far one can go

It really works, and science backs it up: just running isn't enough anymore—strength training helps you improve

Pogacar is racing toward something never before seen in cycling

Bad odors and chafing? You’re washing your cycling clothes the wrong way

From steel tubes to carbon without limits: the revolution that forced the UCI to intervene

The external airbag of the Subaru Forester will be placed on the top of the hood and the lower part of the windshield, as well as covering the two pillars on either side of it, called pillar A, which is one of the most robust structural parts of the car, that is, the most common and harmful impact points according to impact tests. In this way, it seeks to mitigate the damage that the car can cause to the cyclist in the event of a collision.

Now we will have to wait and see if, as happened with conventional airbags, which years ago were an almost exclusive extra for high-end models and today are a mandatory element, these external airbags show their effectiveness and their use begins to spread among more models and brands.