Do you think this Window Airbag can protect the head of small driver?

I do not think so. It should extend further to the front.

Attached Thumbnails

 

You know, such is life. If you're too short, or too tall, too fat, too thin, too thick, too wide, you're SOL. Everything is designed for the average person, and of course, everyone's average.

__________________
You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows - Robert A. Zimmerman

Why farther front? Are you assuming there will be a forward component in a crash? The side air bag will only deploy from a side impact. Keep in mind the impact may also come with a slight rearward component which would throw the head back a bit. It does look a bit close for small drivers though.

__________________
95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

Small drivers sit close to the steering wheel.

In the real world, driver does not always place his/her head on the head reast.

In the real world, combination of forward and side movement of the driver's body can happen.

A car should be designed safe for people of various sizes.



========= front - side side - front

13. If a car is hit on the driver's side, do all the side airbags deploy? Typically only the side airbag on the driver's side will deploy, as well as the rear-seat side airbag on the same side, if present. If the car is hit on the passenger side, the front and rear seat side airbags on the passenger side will deploy. On rare occasions, if the crash is sufficiently severe, with multiple impacts, the side airbags on the non-struck side might also deploy.

Some manufacturers are now designing side airbags to deploy in some frontal crashes as well as side impacts. These are typically offset frontal crashes that involve rapid rotation of the vehicle, and the side airbags can help keep occupants' heads inside the occupant compartment or from hitting hard surfaces inside the vehicle. Conversely, frontal airbags may deploy to help protect occupants in side impacts. For example, if a vehicle is moving forward at the time of its side impact, this forward motion will be stopped and the frontal airbags can help prevent serious injuries.

©1996-2003, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Highway Loss Data Institute
======================

Each impact can have it's force broken down to an x-component and a y-component. Air bag sensors only sense decceleration forces in these two directions.

The data you provided from IIHS and HLDI is probably a result of extensive research showing that real world crashes are rarely as simple as barrier testing. I'm glad to see some real world situations are considered when designing air bag deployment.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is the importance of seat belts. Air bags protect you from a single hit. Some crashes involve multiple hits. In these situations air bags fail to do thier jobs.

One tidbit that I've learned is that the human head is less tolerant of side forces than forward forces, meaning side forces are more fatal than an equivalent forward force. This is why I'm glad to see side impact bags gaining in popularity.

__________________
95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

Driver's head is not covered by side head airbag.

2003 Infinity G35

Attached Thumbnails

 

I hope what you noticed is something they learned from the test. The air bag looks like it deploys from the top down. That design is probably fighting the curve of the top rail. Bottom up deployment would probably work better in this car and give more protection for the small driver.

One thing I noticed on the green car is that there is no side impact, yet the side curtain air bag is deployed. This suggests the side air bag deploys on ANY impact, regardless of the direction.

__________________
95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

Yea, bottom up deployment sounds good.

I guess the curtain airbag was deployed due to car rotaion in the offset frontal crash test.


Driver's head can hit B pillar or side door or window.
Below is an example of offset frontal crash test.

Attached Thumbnails

 

BMW's tube style head airbag extends enough to the front. However, it does not seem to protect heads at various height.
5er.

Attached Thumbnails

 

Volvo's head airbag is not good for small driver. It is optimized for tall test dummy whose head is close to the head rest.
S80.

Attached Thumbnails

 

New Audi A6 has a window airbag not effective for small driver:

Attached Thumbnails