Honda Safety Engineer Recognized by U.S. Government

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Transportation recognized a Honda engineer for his accomplishments in creating the latest in airbag safety. Engineer Eric Heitkamp was awarded high honors by the U.S. government for his work toward creating a newer, safer airbag system that will be implemented in Honda vehicles. His work is part of Honda’s commitment to Safety for Everyone, adding to the already-impressive host of safety and driver assist features you can find in the Honda vehicles at Rairdon’s Honda of Burien.

Award-Winning Engineering at Work

Honda has a goal for zero collision fatalities involving a Honda motorcycle or vehicle by the year 2050. It’s a big goal, but engineers like Heitkamp are working tirelessly toward achieving it. His new design for airbags was presented at the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles conference in Japan, where he was presented the U.S. Government Award for Safety Engineering Excellence. Honda engineers are no stranger to the award, this being the second year in a row for the company receiving the honors.

The design is specifically engineered for lateral collisions that cause occupants of the vehicles’ heads to rotate, greatly increasing the risk of brain damage and other injury. Heitkamp’s design, however, works like a baseball catcher’s mitt; an uninflated panel slows the head while surrounding inflated panels form a surrounding cushion. It’s a larger and more complicated design consisting of four parts – three inflated compartments and an uninflated panel to form a base – that work together to keep the driver and passengers safer. The design uses less force to stop the head from accelerating, decreasing the chance of a serious brain injury occurring during a collision.

Currently featured in the Honda Pilot, the award-winning airbag design is among Honda’s long list of standard and available safety features like HondaSensing. Along with the Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure, Honda sets out to make it easier to avoid collisions, and if unavoidable, much safer. Vehicles with technology like the new airbag system undergo testing at Honda’s two advanced crash test facilities, going through rigorous tests that keep Honda vehicles at the top of several safety lists worldwide.

Find Award-Winning Honda Vehicles in Burien, WA

You can experience advanced safety and unbeatable engineering in vehicles like the Honda Pilot, available now at Rairdon’s Honda of Burien. Browse our new and pre-owned inventory online or visit us today to find some of the safest cars, trucks, and SUVs on the road.