STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Nov. 27, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- But it was also a success for Autoliv Inc. (NYSE:ALV) (Stockholm:ALIV), which is the only safety company that supplies all four vehicles.
"We are delighted and proud to have been selected to assist in achieving these excellent test results," said Mr. Lars Westerberg, Autoliv's President and Chief Executive Officer. "The outcome of the tests are, of course, first of all the result of Renault's, Mercedes' and Saab's own efforts and expertise in automotive safety, because the safety of a vehicle is based on the car structure and many other factors in which Autoliv is not involved. But we are contributing with airbags, seat belts, electronics and other safety devices -- often as complete systems. In many cases we also perform the crash testing and in some cases contribute with completely new safety features, as in the new Megane and the new Mercedes."
The new EuroNCAP program is backed by five European countries and the European Commission, as well as by motoring and consumer organizations in every EU country. When they at the beginning 2000 introduced the current test requirements, some car manufacturers said that it would be impossible to reach five stars. But last year Renault's Laguna II (to which Autoliv is the exclusive safety system partner) achieved this outstanding rating.
So far, 139 vehicles in six categories have been crash tested to the EuroNCAP requirements. Of the six vehicles that have received five stars, Autoliv has been the exclusive safety system partner to three and a major safety system supplier to two.
Autoliv Products in the Megane and Vel Satis Renault's new Megane is the first vehicle in the world with an anti-sliding airbag. This Autoliv invention prevents an occupant from sliding under the seat belt if the belt is too loose. The anti-sliding bag comes as standard in the front seats of the 3-door version of the new Megane. The 5-door Megane has instead two seat belt pretensioners in its front seats. A pretensioner tightens the seat belt in a crash, using a small pyrotechnic charge. All seat belts in the Meganes have buckle pretensioners as well as a retractor load limiter and an anchor plate load limiter to further reduce the risk for rib fractures in very violent crashes.
The frontal airbags in the new Megane are also a recent innovation from Autoliv, which is a second generation of a concept first introduced in the new Laguna. The volume of these bags can be adjusted to the severity of the crash and the proximity of the driver to the airbag. The driver bag can therefore be inflated to 45 liters or 60 liters and the passenger airbag to 90 liters or 120 liters.
For protecting the chest in side impacts, all Meganes have thorax side-bags as standard for the front-seat occupants. For rear-seat occupants they come as an option. The vehicle also has Inflatable Curtains for head protection in side collisions. The steering wheel and the safety electronic control unit also come from Autoliv.
The new Megane is the first vehicle in the C segment -- "the Golf Segment" -- to receive five EuroNCAP stars.
Autoliv's products in Renault's Vel Satis are similar to those in the new Megane.
Autoliv Products in the E-Class
To the Mercedes E-Class Autoliv is supplying all the safety systems except for the frontal airbags and the electronic control unit. Autoliv's products in the E-Class include a smart seat belt system for the front seats. These seat belt systems have an adaptive load limiter, which consist of a gear box function in the retractor that allows the belt system to adjust its load on the occupant.
The other Autoliv safety systems are Inflatable Curtains for head protection in side-impact collisions, side-impact bags for chest protection and seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters.
Autoliv Products in the Saab 9-3
Autoliv delivers all safety systems to the new Saab, except for the seat belts and electronic control unit.
The current deliveries consist of dual-stage frontal airbags with the steering wheel, thorax side-bags and Inflatable Curtains for head protection. This Inflatable Curtain is the first such product with its inflator in the middle, which distributes the gas more evenly in the airbag and fills it faster.
Inquiries:
Jean-Marc Kohl, Business Director Renault/Nissan Autoliv France Tel. +33-153-81 21 40 Ulrich Natzschka, Business Director Mercedes Autoliv GmbH Tel. +49-4121-797-445 Pierre Hultstrand, Account Manager Saab Autoliv Sweden Tel. +46-322-62 62 25
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