By Alex Nunez on September 30, 2011 in
When I saw that General Motors had announced the introduction of a new front-center airbag, I thought, "What is this, 1973, with the front bench seats?" In fact, the new airbag arrives in GM's 2013 large crossovers -- the Buick Enclave, Chevy Traverse, and GMC Acadia. And it has nothing to do with bench seats, '70s land yachts, or protecting a middle front passenger. (The only place you'll find a front bench nowadays is in one of the work-truck-spec pickups.) The center airbag is designed to add more protection in side-impact crashes, and it's hard to imagine this not becoming a common feature.
The airbag (a video of it in operation is posted below) is mounted in the right side of the driver's seat. When the driver is the sole occupant, it helps keeep him or her in place when the vehicle is struck from the side -- from the far (passenger) side, especially. When there are two front occupants, the airbag serves as a barrier and cushion between them (as shown in the image at the top of the post) in any side impact. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety already likes what it sees; president Adrian Lund is on the record as saying, "The front center airbag has real potential to save lives in side crashes."
When the 2013 models arrive sometime in calendar year 2012, Acadias and Traverses with power seats will get the center airbag. It'll be standard equipment in all Buick Enclaves.