Body / Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)

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Highlights
Driver and front passenger airbags with 2-stage deployment (based on severity of accident)
Seat occupied recognition sensor in front passenger seat and weight sensor
Automatic child seat recognition sensor in front passenger seat (automatic) for child seats with transponder approved by
Mercedes-Benz
Front side airbags integrated in seat backrests
Side airbags in rear doors (option)
Window airbags extending from A-pillar through to C-pillar
Seat belts with emergency tensioning retractors and seat belt force limiters for front seats and rear outer seats
2-stage seat belt force limiters for driver and front passenger, 1-stage for rear outer seats
Upfront and rollover sensors for restraint systems
3-point seat belt for rear center seat
Adjustable head restraints, 3x in rear with power retraction facility
Steering column designed to yield under force, steering wheel designed with specific deformation

Upfront sensors
Two satellite sensors (upfront sensors) are installed at the radiator cross member of the front end in order to be able to more
precisely detect the severity of a frontal impact than was the case before and to further reduce the period of time between the
initial contact with an obstacle and the commencement of deployment for the emergency tensioning retractors and gas
generators. The signal from these sensors is used in the deployment algorithm in addition to the signal from the crash sensor
which was already installed on the tunnel.
Driver and front passenger airbag
are equipped with the two-stage gas generator
For designing the deployment threshold of the second chamber ct the gas generator of the
front passenger airbag, not only the severity of the accident, but also the weight of the occupant
is used; in this case the weight of the front passenger is determined and classified by
measuring the impression of the occupants posterior on the seat cushion with the aid of the
further-developed sensor film, which is also used for the seat occupied recognition sensor
(avoiding unnecessary deployment of the front passenger airbag if the seat is not occupied).
The seat belt force limiter which is installed to reduce the load on the occupant as a result of
the seat belt, is graduated both for driver and front passenger seat belt in series 211. After the
belt has been tensioned at the moment of impact, the seat belt reaches the maximum force
level. If the SRS control unit detects an accident of extreme severity, the force level is reduced
after a short time period: the seat belt is unreeled further and the occupant dives deeper in the
airbag, as a result of which the absorption share of the airbag is increased and the load on the occupant resulting from the seat
belt, is reduced.
Side airbags
In contrast to series 210, the front side airbags on series 211 are positioned in the front
seat backrests, and not below the door trim panel. As the side airbag inflates (10 liter
volume) a flap on the side of the backrest below which the side airbag module is located,
opens, and fills the space between occupant, B-pillar and door, which assists in
minimizing the load on the occupants chest.
The rear side airbags (option) are installed, as before, in the rear doors.

Window airbags
As was already the case in the predecessor series as of 06/99, a window airbag system is part of the base equipment of
series 211.
Window airbag and side airbag are deployed if the central electronic control module of
TELE AID senses a side crash. For detecting the lateral accelerations, the central crash
sensor is assisted by additional satellite sensors in the area of the side cross members.
The mattress-shaped window airbag has a volume of 12 liters. In the folded position,
the airbag is installed along the A-pillar, the side roof frame and the C-pillar below the
roof paneling. The matching tubular gas generator is housed in the A-pillar.
Rollover sensor
A new feature is a rollover sensor which is located in the central deployment unit on the
tunnel. If a rollover is detected, emergency tensioning retractors and window airbags are
deployed.
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