Safety ranks among the core values of the Mercedes-Benz brand, which once again takes the lead by pioneering a host of innovative developments. One such development is the adaptive front-passenger airbag in the new C-Class.  

The front passenger seat can be fitted with automatic child seat recognition, which dispenses with the existing transponder and instead works with a weight mat. This enables any child seat to be used. The airbag is automatically deactivated in this case and reactivated once the child seat has been removed. Mercedes-Benz is setting new standards with this system. Unlike systems offered by competitors, which often use a key switch to deactivate the airbag, this system prevents the user from operating the airbag incorrectly. Users often forget to manually activate the front passenger airbag when removing the child seat. In the event of an accident this can place adult occupants in considerable danger since the front passenger airbag and the seat belts work in tandem and can only achieve the necessary protective effect for adults by operating together. The system presented here prevents this by automatically activating the front passenger airbag when the child seat is removed.