The company Chery Automobile has applied for a patent for an unusual device — a car seat with a catapult. According to the Chinese portal Autohome with reference to the document, the so-called “Car removable ejection seat” will be able to throw passengers into the air before a traffic accident: thus, the passenger will leave the car before the collision and will probably be in a safer place.
The patent document depicts an ordinary car seat with side support and a headrest, but with a “complex” safety belt resembling five-point belts of racing cars – with a waist and two vertical straps. Such a design requires more effort to fasten, which may discourage the desire to use it, given that some motorists and passengers are already reluctant to fasten themselves.
The patent does not take into account a number of important factors. For example, it is not specified how the catapult seat will work on cars with a hard roof, how it will behave in case of accidents in tunnels, and even how the passenger will land. It is also unknown what will happen if the car manages to roll over before ejection.
It is possible that a James Bond—style device will even appear in Chery cars in the future, but so far this is just a patent application – one of many that manufacturers submit, but are in no hurry to put into practice. Among them are inflatable bumpers, a robot for walking dogs, a drone that helps to drive off-road, and even a mosquito repeller with an insect sex detector.
Source: Autohome