Honda’s all-new 2020 Jazz will help its occupants maintain proper social distancing even in an event of a crash. This comes as the carmaker introduces a new front-center airbag making it one of the first of the brand’s models, and the first in its class to come up with this new passive safety feature.

Fitted within the back of the driver’s seat, the front center airbag expands into the space between the driver and passenger in the event of a crash. This new airbag, one of 10 in the new Jazz, helps to avoid direct contact and reduce impact between a driver and a passenger in the event of a side-on collision.

In order to ensure the airbag is accurately placed to deliver maximum protection during deployment, the airbag uses three attachment tethers which guide the airbag around the driver in a curve. To realize this new feature, the engineering team developed the airbag unit to fit within the upper bolster of the newly designed driver’s seat.


 The new front center airbag works in concert with two other features in the event of a side on collision. The seat belt pre-tensioners for both driver and passenger work to reduce lateral occupant movement and are further supported by the center armrest which has increased in height. Overall, the impact of this new approach can reduce injury to the head by 85 percent for near-side passenger and 98 percent for far-side passenger based on Honda’s internal tests.

In addition to the new front-center airbag, an SRS airbag system in front of the driver's knee reduces impact on the lower limbs and contributes to the improvement of occupant protection performance for the head and chest by suppressing forward movement of the entire body.

Further improvements for new Jazz include the rear seat i-side airbag system. This unique double-structure airbag, installed in the rear seat pad, activates to protect rear occupants from impacts against the door and C-pillar in the event of side-on collisions. The airbag is also designed in a compact size in order not to detract from the unique U.L.T. seat function of the Jazz.