If the R&D irons out the wrinkles, air-inflatable panels for your car’s exterior may keep countless pedestrians safe from your bad driving. At least this seems to be the goal of a joint effort by several tech companies and the local university in Hiroshima who are developing iSave technology to make bumping people a lot safer.
Not that we’re implying bumping people and cars will be more acceptable if external airbags were the norm among car manufacturers today, but the guys behind this might be on to something innovative.
Ignoring the bizarro factor involved, the iSave can become essential once the car industry has shifted to cheap compact electric vehicles. In a world of smart cars and urbanized congestion where the risk of bumps and accidents are high, external air bags can save us from law suits, damage and a whole lot a stress.
Turns out our analysis is right on: the iSave will be applied to three and four-wheeled vehicles by 2011. That’s not to say it’s cheap. It can cost up to $17,800 for the system to e installed on your car.
Via Crunchgear