4 Minutes
China launches a seat-integrated helmet airbag
Automakers keep raising the bar on passive and active safety, and the latest innovation is a helmet-style airbag built into vehicle seats. Developed for the HIMA alliance — the joint venture between Huawei and Chery — the new restraint system is set to make its production debut on the Luxeed V9 minivan and aims to shield occupants' head, neck, shoulders, and spinal cord in a collision.
How it works
In a detected crash scenario, the helmet airbag deploys in milliseconds, unfolding as a cocoon-like balloon around the occupant's head and upper torso. The inflatable structure is designed to reduce the forces that cause skull, cervical spine, and shoulder injuries, and it operates alongside side airbags for integrated protection. When ADAS sensors identify an imminent impact, seat electronics can also snap highly reclined seats back to a safer, upright position before deployment.
Seat and belt systems working together
The Luxeed V9 package pairs the helmet airbag with other smart restraint features. A seatbelt-integrated airbag expands across the torso to limit forward motion and mitigate whiplash, reducing the classic forward-then-back head snap seen in many crashes. Together these systems form a layered passive safety approach that complements active features such as Autonomous Emergency Braking and lane-keeping systems.
"This is not just an airbag — it is an integrated occupant protection strategy that anticipates posture and impact vectors," says an industry engineer familiar with seat-mounted protection tech.
Origins and who built it
Yanfeng Automotive Interior Systems first showcased the concept in 2023, highlighting seats with wide-angle recline, rotation, and sliding functionality. HIMA has refined that concept, collaborating with interior specialists and ADAS suppliers to ensure the airbag deploys reliably across different seating positions and vehicle maneuvers.
Vehicle details and platform
The Luxeed V9 measures about 200.8 inches (5.3 meters) long with a 125.9-inch (3.2 meter) wheelbase and rides on Chery's E0X modular architecture, the same underpinnings used by models such as the Exlantix ET and ES. HIMA will offer the V9 as both a full EV and an EREV range-extender model, each using CATL battery packs. A Huawei-developed powertrain with a high-voltage 800V electrical system will power the range, emphasizing fast charging and strong performance.
Highlights:
- Helmet-style airbag integrated into seat structure
- Seatbelt-integrated torso airbag to reduce whiplash
- Auto-return of reclined seats when ADAS flags imminent impact
- Platform: Chery E0X, powertrain: Huawei, battery: CATL
Market positioning and safety context
Automakers are increasingly targeting zero fatalities through a mix of active systems like AEB and driver monitoring and advanced passive protections such as this helmet airbag. The Luxeed V9 becomes HIMA's flagship family vehicle, joining the S7 sedan and R7 SUV under the same alliance. Luxeed delivered 81,391 cars from January to November 2025, and the V9 is expected to strengthen the brand's presence in the competitive China EV market.
This helmet airbag also marks a shift in interior safety thinking: rather than focusing solely on exterior crash structures and curtain airbags, manufacturers are designing seat and occupant systems to cradle and decelerate occupants more gently in complex crash scenarios.
When and where
HIMA plans to bring the Luxeed V9 to market in spring, initially targeting China. Broader availability will depend on homologation and regulatory review in other regions, but the technology signals a potential trend for premium minivans and family cars globally.
For car enthusiasts and safety-focused buyers, the V9 represents a notable leap in occupant protection, blending smart ADAS interaction with novel inflatables directly integrated into the cabin.
Source: autoevolution
Leave a Comment