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Airbags different by country.

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by alanclarkeau, Aug 18, 2019.

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  1. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I just noticed what seems to be a major regional difference. USA PRIUS has 8 AIRBAGS, Australia only 7. And we pay a lot more ($40,023).
    USA:
    upload_2019-8-19_8-44-41.png

    upload_2019-8-19_8-43-35.png

    AUSTRALIA:

    upload_2019-8-19_8-47-18.png
     

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    #1 alanclarkeau, Aug 18, 2019
  2. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

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    7 here in UK too...

    Steering wheel, front passenger dash, left side from left front seat, right side from right front seat, left curtain from ceiling, right curtain from ceiling, driver's knee.

    What's the 8th?
     
    #2 The Professor, Aug 18, 2019
  3. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Looks like:
    upload_2019-8-19_9-1-16.png
    Not sure what one is - bearing in mind that their passengers sit on the wrong side o_O.
     
    #3 alanclarkeau, Aug 18, 2019
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  4. jb in NE

    jb in NE Senior Member

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    I recall that US airbags are also larger and more powerful. US regulations assumed that a driver or passenger would not be buckled, and the Europeans assumed they would be buckled.
     
    #4 jb in NE, Aug 18, 2019
  5. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Hence the US versions presenting greater hazard to petite drivers needing to move the seat forwards.
     
    #5 fuzzy1, Aug 18, 2019
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  6. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I did find a picture - though it's Canadian and not necessarily a PRIUS - some random TOYOTA:
    upload_2019-8-19_10-41-4.png
     
    #6 alanclarkeau, Aug 18, 2019
  7. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Front passenger seat cushion airbag (it’s also present in the Prius c).

    It’s basically to reduce the chances of submarining under the seat belts in a forward collision.

    Edit: I could’ve just waited 30 seconds and you would’ve answered your own question. :LOL:
     
    #7 Tideland Prius, Aug 18, 2019
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  8. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Yes - GOOGLE Images helped.

    Do you know which parts of the planet they are installed - Japan? Or just US & Canada?
     
    #8 alanclarkeau, Aug 18, 2019
  9. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    From what I can see, Japan only has 6 airbags (no driver’s knee airbag or passenger seat cushion
     
    #9 Tideland Prius, Aug 18, 2019
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  10. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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    And decapitating babies in the front seat. :unsure:
     
    #10 kithmo, Aug 20, 2019
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  11. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

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    Not sure if it's the same everywhere, but in my car there are big warning stickers all over the front passenger seat/cabin area, plus a constantly illuminated amber warning light on the dash, and similar big clear warnings on my child seats that tell me to disable the front passenger air bag if a rear facing child seat is being used there (maybe forward facing too, can't remember). Also there is usually a sensor somewhere that determines how far the occupant is from the air bag (either a seat position sensor or ultrasonic sensor somewhere near the controls for the climate control) which are used to determine the air bag inflation timing, speed, and volume. If a child is in the correct seat for their age/height/weight, and instructions are followed, no babies should be getting decapitated.
     
    #11 The Professor, Aug 20, 2019
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  12. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Not being a parent, I haven't followed this closely enough.

    But here, I believe that having children in the front seat is now extremely strongly discouraged. Period. Safety seat or not, children are supposed to be placed in the back seat of all vehicles that have a functional back seat, until they reach specified height / weight / age levels.
     
    #12 fuzzy1, Aug 20, 2019
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  13. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

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    Correct. Rear facing in rear seats is safest. Followed by front facing in rear seats. Then rear facing (airbag off) in front seat. Finally front facing in front seats. Front seats should be a last resort. UK laws state they should be on a proper child seat until around 12 years old or 135cm/53" tall, whichever is first. Rear facing is mandatory here for first 15 months. The advice is rear facing in rear seats as long as possible (up to 12 years, but for practical reasons it's usually more like 2 years).
     
    #13 The Professor, Aug 20, 2019
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  14. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Here:
    upload_2019-8-21_10-26-35.png

    Cars with only 1 row of seats
    • Children of any age can sit in the front seat as long as they are properly restrained.
    • If a car has a passenger airbag, a rear-facing child restraint shouldn't be used in the front seat if the restraint is positioned close to the airbag.
     
    #14 alanclarkeau, Aug 20, 2019
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  15. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    #15 Tideland Prius, Aug 21, 2019
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  16. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    And mine is only Queensland - the other states/territories of Australia could well have 6 different laws the way that road-rules are here.

    If I drive for an hour into NewSouthWales - I've got to be aware that quite a few road rules are different - which is unlikely, hard enough to keep up with the changes they sneak in my own State. Crazy
     
    #16 alanclarkeau, Aug 21, 2019
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  17. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Wait what? Over here, most rules of the road are similar. If they are different, there will be signage (for example, within the island of Montreal, you cannot turn right on a red light whereas it is legal by default “unless otherwise stated” like the island of Montreal)
     
    #17 Tideland Prius, Aug 21, 2019
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  18. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Yep crazy.

    An example here publicised recently - here in Queensland, the yellow car can continue once the pedestrian is clear of the path of same yellow car (unless another car is stopped in the other lane). But over the border (and it was like that here 30 years ago) - the crossing must be completely clear of pedestrians for ANY car to proceed.

    upload_2019-8-22_15-39-28.png
     
    #18 alanclarkeau, Aug 22, 2019
  19. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Huh. Good to know.
     
    #19 Tideland Prius, Aug 22, 2019
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  20. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Whereas in my state, I understand our rules to be in between the rules you expressed. Here, the pedestrian must be a full lane width beyond (or to the curb, whichever is closer) before the car can proceed. For a single lane in each direction, this is equivalent to requiring the crosswalk to be completely cleared of pedestrians. But for multi-lane streets, it is less restrictive.

    I haven't checked up on rules in our other 50+ states and territories.
     
    #20 fuzzy1, Aug 22, 2019
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