The Hovding airbag helmet system is being made available in more and more countries, most recently the UK. Over there, the guys at BikeRadar put it to the test by having a rider slam into a pole to intentionally cause a fall.

Research for the system, which is basically a helmet made out of airbag that pops up when needed, debuted in 2005, but it only came to market around 2013.

It’s still just as expensive as we first told you it was going to be, and most will still prefer the simplicity of a regular helmet. However, there will be a market for these, maybe used in sporting events for bicycles or motorcycles where the risk of injury is higher.

Maybe something similar could be integrated into a car’s headrest. Think about it: the seat doesn’t touch the outside of the car yet you’re securely fastened to it, so where it goes you go. I`m no engineer, but an airbag that would pop up and envelop your head could be developed, and it doesn’t sound like the hardest thing to achieve.

I mean they have though of many other places to put them; Volvo even made a joke about putting them on the outside…

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