Toyota's head start to beat whiplash

16th July 2007

Japanese giant Toyota is aiming to bring head and neck protection to the masses, after revealing that it will fit an advanced active headrest to all its new cars from now on.

The set-up is a development of the Whiplash Injury Lessening (WIL) concept seat found in top-of-the- range Toyota and Lexus models, and it's claimed to reduce the severity of whiplash by up to 20 per cent.

Using a simple mechanism, technicians have been able to adapt the device to fit any chair in the range. With a pressure plate in the seatback, it senses the movement of the body when involved in a rear-end smash. A cable runs up to the headrest and, when activated, will move the part forward by 25mm to catch and support the driver's head.

The complete, but more expensive, WIL version also features an additional function that provides protection for the lower back in a similar collision. However, this tech­nology is presently too expensive for lesser models, and will remain only in more costly Toyota cars.

It's the latest development in the brand's drive to increase occupant protection. Not content with boosting the safety credentials of its car range, it also wants to be involved in building less dangerous roads and setting up driver education courses.