Intelligent protection for the very little ones

the Mercedes-Benz child seat study in collaboration with Britax Römer.

Intelligent protection for the very little ones

the Mercedes-Benz child seat study in collaboration with Britax Römer.

According to the Federal Statistical Office, almost 11,000 children suffered in accidents as car passengers in Germany in 2017. In our opinion, that is 11,000 children too many.
Britax Römer works continuously to improve child safety on the road. Among other things, we collaborate with many leading car manufacturers on this issue. In May 2019, Mercedes-Benz, together with Britax Römer, presented a study of the child seat of the future. The study shown here also influences future innovations in our future child seats.

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With PRE-SAFE® Child, Mercedes-Benz, in cooperation with Britax Römer, uses the DUALFIX i-SIZE as a basis to show how the protection of children can be further improved in their ESF 2019 (ESF = Experimental-Safety-Vehicle). In our child seat with PRE-SAFE® functions, the seat belts are pre-tensioned and side impact protection elements are deployed right before a crash. The monitoring of the car seat installation and the child's vital signs are further innovative functions integrated into the seat.

Installation monitoring: reduces the risk of incorrect operation

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A study published by insurance company accident researchers (UDV) in October 2018 found that almost one in two child seats are not correctly installed in the car. The main causes were seat installation errors and incorrect belt fastening.

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The aim of the installation monitoring function in the intelligent child seat of the ESF 2019 is to prevent such mistakes. Eight symbols directly on the seat, and corresponding three-dimensional animations in the media display of MBUX, provide self-explanatory guidance through the individual installation steps and signal that they have been done correctly.
It monitors things such as whether ISOFIX is correctly installed and the belt buckle is fastened. Additionally, it checks whether the seat belt system has been tensioned enough and the seat shell is properly engaged for driving.

Monitoring vital signs: reduces the risk of distraction

With the 360 degree rotatable DUALFIX i-SIZE used here, children must legally drive rearward facing for up to 15 months, with the additional option of riding rearward-facing for up to 4 years. Thus, the children are optimally protected in a frontal impact, where the head and neck of small children are subject to lower loads than in a forward facing child car seat.

To help the driver keep his mind on the road without checking on the child in the back seat, the intelligent child seat of the ESF 2019 monitors the child’s temperature, pulse, breathing and state of wakefulness. During the journey, animations (e.g. "All OK" or "Child waking up") in the media display reports on the child's condition. The display is intuitive to understand and the system requires no additional mirrors in the back to see the child.

The child seat is also outfitted with a camera. When the car is standing still, for example at a red light, the driver can switch over to a live video of the child in the media display.

PRE-SAFE® Function

PRE-SAFE® is triggered before an impending crash and causes the seatbelts of the child seat to tighten, while the side-impact protection elements that are mounted on the side of the seat are extended out. By being more firmly fastened to the seat, the child is better protected from physical forces in a critical situation, e.g. during emergency braking. The loads acting on the child's head and neck areas during an impact are also reduced, as the child seat is more firmly attached to the vehicle.

The current Mercedes-Benz child seat Kollektion can be found in the Online Shop of Mercedes Benz.

PRE-SAFE® Function

The functions, pictures and graphics (partially) do not show our current range, but instead present our future vision based on current projects in development. The description in this publication is not indicative of approvals/certification.