Crash testing a C3 with airbags

[CaptainK]

Spotted this online and not seen it before. No real details of the video, its a detailed crash test video from multiple angles of a C3 fitted with airbags. Believed to be from the early to mid 70s, but the video doesn't specify. They also don't specify the speed the C3 was doing.

Oh and there is no sound - they've just added some music on top, that's not great. Probably best to mute it.

 

[Roscobbc]

Spotted this online and not seen it before. No real details of the video, its a detailed crash test video from multiple angles of a C3 fitted with airbags. Believed to be from the early to mid 70s, but the video doesn't specific. They also don't specific the speed the C3 was doing.

Oh and there is no sound - they've just added some music on top, that's not great. Probably best to mute it.

Fascinating......it seems the basic 'on chassis' Corvette construction stood-up well (although we don't know what speed was used). Interesting too that no seat belts were used, just airbags which seemed very effective (wonder if the airbags were as 'todays' or if they were a larger size as the seemed to protect the legs too.

 

[CaptainK]

I was reading more into it and apparently the reason why no seatbelts is because in the early 70s car manufacturers knew people didn't want to use the new shoulder seat belt / 3 point belt. So they were developing something called ACRS. The idea was people could easily put on a lapbelt, and the airbag system was there to help with the top part of the body.

See:

Air Cushion Restraint System - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Also some airbag systems were fitted to the odd posh American car at various points in the 70s. I assume this Corvette was used as part of development and testing of these early airbags. They do look somewhat oversized, but evidently quite effective.

 

[Roscobbc]

I was reading more into it and apparently the reason why no seatbelts is because in the early 70s car manufacturers knew people didn't want to use the new shoulder seat belt / 3 point belt. So they were developing something called ACRS. The idea was people could easily put on a lapbelt, and the airbag system was there to help with the top part of the body.

See:

Air Cushion Restraint System - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Also some airbag systems were fitted to the odd posh American car at various points in the 70s. I assume this Corvette was used as part of development and testing of these early airbags. They do look somewhat oversized, but evidently quite effective.

Just read the Wiki explanation - the Impala's mentioned used a unique 4 spoke steering wheel and lapbelts. Test Corvette had a 4 sspoke steering wheel (similar to one of those huge Mercedes wheels). Corvette driver and passenger may have had lapbelts - you couldn't see. I did think it was unusual the windscreen remained in place and didn't even seem to crack. I remember reading American car magazine like Hot Rod, Car Craft, Road and Track and the like much later-on after air bags were made mandatory discussing the increased reluctance of car drivers and passengers wishing to wear seat belts once air bags were fitted by manufacturers.........thinking that air bags alone would protect those in the front seat in the event of an accident.