In conventional cars with properly designed rear end deformation zones, headrests reduce neck injuries only in 20-30% of the cases. Reasons for this fact include inadequate positioning or even insufficient adaptability of the headrest, and inappropriate construction of the seat back. Automatic position monitoring and adjustment for the head-neck restraint in both the horizontal and vertical axis could alleviate these shortcomings. Such a system, consisting of electronic sensing devices, control circuitry, and electrical translation mechanisms, is implemented in the light vehicle seat currently under development. The control circuit could also alert the driver from sitting too close to the steering close to the steering wheel, thereby contributing to an optimal effectiveness of the air bag deployment in frontal collisions. (A)
Abstract