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Hearing Aids Blown In

Cars are to get ears. Tiny listening devices are to be fitted to new models from 2007, but they are not eavesdropping on occupants - instead they'll make airbags open sooner in the event of a collision.

12th May 2005

The special sensors fix to the chassis in six places and will hear what's going on in the outside world. They are tuned to listen for the tell-tale frequencies generated when a car hits another object.

Inventor Siemens VDO claims the innovation can react more quickly than the conventional methods of accident detection. Currently, accelerometers are used to tell when a car's speed changes violently - as in a collision - while pressure sensors react to side impacts. By adding the listening sensors, the central safety control system will be able to hear which part of the vehicle is most at risk. That will ensure the airbags in the relevant zone are inflated milliseconds sooner to improve occupant protection.

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