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Toyota iQ rear-seat airbag

In response to safety concerns surrounding the increased risk of serious harm many rear seat passengers face in micro cars, Toyota has engineered a rear seat airbag for their new micro car, the Toyota iQ. Intended to prevent passenger injuries in the event of a rear-end collision, the rear airbag is similar in both design and function to side-impact airbags [which Volvo pioneered in 1995]. In the event of an accident, the roof-stored rear airbags deploy in a curtain-like barrier, providing an air-filled buffer between the head rests and the rear window. Together, the curtain and the headrest work in tandem to minimize the impact absorbed by rear occupants during a collision.

[News Source: Auto News]