Toyota Innovates Safety with Industry-First Rear Airbags

It started with the first airbags that popped out of steering wheels in the case of a collision. It continued with the introduction of passenger side airbags and, later on, side curtain airbags. Which is the only direction left to protect you? The back, of course!

Toyota wants to completely engulf you in airbags, it seems, because the Japanese automaker has just introduced the industry’s first airbag designed specifically for rear-end collisions. Those gas-filled pillows come gushing out of the back if you happen to find yourself in the unfortunate situation of a rear-ender. The first car to get these rear airbags will be the Toyota iQ ultracompact microcar, which will be getting the safety upgrade by the end of this year.

The airbag is placed above the iQ’s rear window and it is meant to protect passengers sitting in the backseat. I’m not exactly sure how they’d implement this in a larger car — the iQ is very tiny — but I’m sure that Toyota will find a way.