05:44 04-06-2026

GM patents adaptive airbag: shape and deployment change for each passenger

General Motors received patent US 12,637,026 B1 on a rear airbag that changes shape, size and deployment direction based on passenger height, position and orientation.

General Motors has patented an airbag system with variable deployment. The application was published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on May 26, 2026, and the patent received the number US 12,637,026 B1.

The main idea is to improve protection for rear-row passengers. Today an airbag deploys according to a preset scenario that is the same for everyone. In the GM system, the controller can change its shape, size, pressure and deployment direction based on data about the passenger: height and build, seat position, body orientation and distance to the airbag.

The key element is adjustable tethers inside the airbag. By changing their length, the system redistributes the volume and geometry of the airbag at the moment of impact. The patent specifically mentions adults, children in standard child seats and children in rear-facing seats. The deployment pattern may differ for each case.

GM also describes an airbag with several chambers. Airflow between them can be regulated so that one part inflates more strongly while another stays softer. On top of that, the airbag can deploy from different zones of the cabin: the front seatback, the floor, the roof, a side pillar or the center console.

For buyers this is a potentially important technology, but for now it is only a patent. GM has not announced when such airbags will appear on production Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC or Buick vehicles. The trend is clear: safety in new cars is becoming more and more adaptive and depends not only on hardware but also on sensors, controllers and software logic.