Mercedes Safety Research Car Returns

In the 1970s, Mercedes-Benz unveiled a range of experimental vehicles to research the future of safety system at the newly organized Enhanced Safety Vehicles conference.  Those safety research cars gave rise to modern innovations we take for granted like airbags and anti-lock brakes.  Now, Mercedes-Benz is bringing back the Experimental Safety Vehicle, hoping to once again push the boundaries of automotive safety technology.

The new ESV is a S400 Hybrid Sedan with 13 distinctly new safety features crammed in.  Some additions are relatively minor, like the Child Cam, which prevents driver distractions (and sibling tattling) by sending still images of the back seats to the dashboard display.  Other features are hard to fathom, like the new Braking Bag, which is an air bag for the entire car that lifts the front end of the vehicle to stabilize it before a crash.  It’s unclear which innovations will catch on, but if history is any indication, we’ll be seeing these technologies across the board within the decade.

[via NYT:Wheels Blog]