Autoliv, a Swedish leader in automotive safety systems, and Piaggio, a manufacturer of scooters and motorcycles, are set to develop an airbag for powered two-wheelers, for greater rider safety. A joint development agreement was signed for the purpose of developing airbags to provide greater protection for two-wheeler riders and enhance riding pleasure.

The airbags will be mounted on the vehicle frame and will deploy in milliseconds. The popularity of powered two-wheelers continues to rise, due to widespread urbanisation and urban densification and to the practicality and ease of use of powered two-wheelers. Today scooters and motorcycles are equipped with advanced safety systems, such as ABS (Antilock Braking System) and ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation), and the addition of airbags will be a further step in this direction, Autoliv said in a press release.

Autoliv has developed the initial concepts with advanced simulation tools and conducted full-scale crash tests. Autoliv will now work with the Piaggio group to develop the product further and potentially commercialise the concept.

“Autoliv is committed to our vision of ‘Saving More Lives’ and to providing world class life-saving solutions for mobility and society. Therefore, we are developing products that specifically protect vulnerable road users. The development of these products is an integral part of our sustainability agenda and an important step towards our goal of saving 100,000 lives a year by 2030,” Mikael Bratt, CEO and president of Autoliv said in a statement.