2020 Honda Jazz to include new airbags as standard

Exemplifying Honda's commitment to occupant safety, the all new Jazz is the first of the brand's models in Europe, and the first model in its class to feature a new front-centre airbag technology as standard.

The newly introduced passive safety feature is just one element of a comprehensive package of safety features and driver aids for the all new Jazz, further reinforcing the car's reputation as one of Europe's safest.

The new front-centre airbag is fitted within the back of the driver's seat and expands into the space between driver and passenger. This new airbag, one of the ten in the new Jazz, helps to avoid direct contact and reduce impact between a driver and a passenger in the event of a side-on collision.

In order to ensure the airbag is accurately placed to deliver maximum protection during deployment, the airbag uses three attachment tethers that guide the airbag around the driver in a curve. The engineering team developed the airbag unit to fit within the upper
bolster of the newly designed driver's seat to accomplish this feature.

The new front centre airbag works in concert with two other features in the event of a side on collision. The seat belt pre-tensioners work to reduce lateral occupant movement and are further supported by the centre armrest which has increased in height. Overall the impact of this new approach can reduce injury to the head by 85% for the near-side passenger and 98% for the far-side passenger under Honda's internal testing. Further improvements for the new Jazz include the rear seat i-side Airbag System. This unique double-structure airbag, installed in the rear seat pad, activates to protect rear occupants from impacts against the door and C-pillar in the event of side-on collisions. The airbag is also compact in order to provide space for the unique magic seat function.

These new advancements in occupant safety come as Euro NCAP, the European consumer protection organisation for vehicle safety, introduces new test requirements in 2020, in recognition of the severe effects of side-on collisions. The new assessments will expand the scope of investigations into side-on collisions from the far-side.

In addition to the new front-centre airbag, an SRS airbag system in front of the driver's knee reduces impact on the lower limbs and contributes to the improvement of occupant protection performance for the head and chest by supressing forward movement of the entire body.

The all new Jazz also incorporates Honda's proprietary Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure technology. It distributes crash energy more evenly throughout the front of the vehicle through a network of connected structural elements that not only protects the car and its passengers by dispersing the collision energy throughout the body structure, but it also reduces the collision energy against the other vehicle too.

Passive safety features on the new Jazz are complemented by the Honda SENSING suite of active safety and driver assist technologies, which have been enhanced for the latest model. A new wider angle, higher definition, anti-fog camera replaces the multi-purpose camera and City-Brake Active System sensor setup of the previous-generation Jazz that recognises a more comprehensive range of road surface and traffic characteristics, detecting oncoming vehicles, drifting into another lane without indicating, and road signs.