AIROH: announcing a collaboration with Autoliv to study and develop the world’s first motorcycle helmet concept with an integrated airbag.
The collaboration between AIROH, the Italian manufacturer of motorcycle helmets, and Autoliv (ALV), the worldwide leader in automotive safety systems has resulted in the world’s first motorcycle helmet concept with an integrated airbag designed for enhanced head protection. The prototype will be presented, as an absolute novelty in the motorcycle sector, at EICMA 2022, the international motorcycle and accessories exhibition.
Less than a week before the start of the next edition of EICMA, this collaboration opens a new and extraordinary chapter in the history of motorcycle safety.
For over two years, the Research and Development departments of AIROH, an international benchmark in the motorcycle helmets’ sector, and Autoliv, the worldwide leader in automotive safety systems, have conducted a pre-study to define how a motorcycle helmet could be designed with an integrated airbag. The pre-study showed that the substantial protection improvements could be reached without critically compromising the design, weight, or comfort of a helmet designed with integrated airbag technology.
The pre-study took inspiration from a young and brilliant Italian engineer, Roberta Descrovi. Whilst studying for her degree at Sheffield Hallam University, her intuition was to focus on the evaluation of a motorcycle helmet equipped with a system able to inflate in case of an accident providing the rider with a protection far beyond current state-of-art helmets.
«Since the birth of our company, twenty-five years ago, we have always focused on the safety of those who wear our helmets. This “obsession” has also impacted the development of the helmet with an integrated airbag – says Antonio Locatelli, CEO and founder of AIROH – Roberta’s findings were absolutely innovative and the early discussions we had with Autoliv, convinced us of the feasibility of an ambitious concept able to revolutionize the safety of millions of motorcycle riders».
This collaboration with AIROH shows how the research conducted by Autoliv, the worldwide leader in automotive safety system, can also be an important resource for the motorcycle industry.
«To substantially reduce the number of motorcycle rider injuries and fatalities, we need to take a holistic approach where we investigate several combined countermeasures. Wearing a helmet is still the most important protection for a motorcycle rider. Our insights into in-depth crash data, biomechanics knowledge and tools for injury assessment, in combination with the expertise from AIROH is an excellent opportunity to enhance head protection for riders and to save more lives», says Mikael Bratt, President and CEO of Autoliv.
Both companies will be present at EICMA 2022, the International motorcycle and accessories exhibition, and at their respective stands there will be the possibility to see the concept of the helmet with an integrated airbag and meet the people behind the pre-study.
For more information about AIROH: https://www.airoh.com/
For more information about Autoliv: https://campaign.autoliv.com/eicma-2022
