Boning up on safety

Cars could be fitted with a scanning system to estimate the occupant’s bone strength and tune the seatbelt and airbags accordingly to improve safety during crashes and reduce injuries caused by the restraints.

The system, being developed by a consortium including Nissan’s European technical centre and the Cranfield Impact Centre, consists of an ultrasound finger scanner and processor. It would take the finger reading and use it to estimate the skeletal strength of the rest of the body — in particular the chest, which can be injured by seatbelts contracting too forcibly during accidents.

Sensor systems to adjust the deployment of airbags to the size and seating position of drivers and passengers are already being developed by car makers and their suppliers. But these systems provide only limited information.

By scanning the bone strength of each occupant, the system would be able to assess their injury tolerance limits. This would allow it to offer the maximum protection for a specific impact without damaging the weaker ribs of children and pensioners.