Safety is the top priority in a Mercedes-Benz convertible
August 26 2020,
When it comes to a convertible, the question of safety vis-à-vis a model with a permanent roof has always been on everyone's lips. The problem is that few crash tests are conducted on convertibles, mainly because of their low sales volume.
However, at Mercedes-Benz, we don't need this kind of exercise to be able to produce safe convertibles. The safety systems on all Mercedes-Benz vehicles make models without fixed roofs safe, not to mention the fact that these models benefit from specific features.
For example, if an imminent danger is detected in anticipation of an accident, sensors in the airbag control unit react and deploy protective tubes in one-third of a second behind the rear head restraints to protect the occupants.
Both roll bars reach their highest point and lock automatically in a fraction of a second. Add to that the super-strong A-pillars that provide additional protection up front and you have a series of elements that act as a very effective shield in the event of a rollover.
And then there's a head airbag on the new Mercedes-Benz convertibles. This is installed in the door seat belt area and provides extended protection for the front passenger head impact area. The rear airbags are integrated into the body in the area of the rear interior side panels and serve to protect the heads of the rear passengers.
So, as you can see, once again, Mercedes-Benz convertibles are above the fray when it comes to safety. Remember that it was Mercedes-Benz that raised the bar on convertible safety in the early 1990s with the SL, including rollover protection bars that deployed in 0.3 seconds.
As a final reassuring argument, a recent study published by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) concluded that convertible occupants are no more likely to be injured or killed in a crash. Even so, the death rate for convertible drivers was 11% lower than for models with a fixed roof.
