Feb. 25, 1999
Toyota Develops New Child Restraint System
Meeting New International Installation Standards
TOKYO―TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today the development of a new child restraint seat that can be securely installed to provide better protection for the passenger (the infant or child), and yet allows easy installation and removal. TMC has long been actively involved in the development and sales of child restraint seats, and has been educating consumers about their use in order to ensure the safety of infants and children in automobiles.
While discussions were ongoing about the establishment of a new international standard for child 0restraint seat fastening methods(*1), TMC was promoting the development of a new child restraint seat that would prevent incorrect use and ensure a secure fit in the automobile.
Major advantages of the new child restraint system
- Secure installation in the automobile
The greatest advantage of the new child restraint system is a fastening method that enables secure and easy installation. A dedicated anchor (a 6-mm diameter bar) for securing the child restraint seat is provided in the space between the back and the bottom of the vehicle's seat; the new child restraint seat has a mechanism that fastens directly to this anchor. This fastening mechanism allows secure installation and removal of the child restraint seat with a one-touch operation, and also prevents incorrect installation.
In vehicles not equipped with the dedicated anchor, the new child restraint seat can be installed using a seat belt as in the past.
- Improved passenger protection
The new child restraint seat offers improved passenger protection, using an impact shield(*2) that securely restrains the child during a collision, and side wings(*3) to protect the child's head. The key development objective of the new child restraint seat was to provide better protection while improving comfort for the infant or child; for example, the seat construction allows for better air circulation and a wider applicable age range (increased from "up to 4 years of age" to "up to 6 years").
- Improved usability
The new child restraint seat achieves both safety and ease of use. For example, the base(*4) and the seat of the new child restraint system are designed as separate units, allowing users to switch from an infant seat to a child seat using the same base. Furthermore, the weight of the seat has been reduced, and a carrier system has been adopted, allowing the infant seat to be detached from the base and carried.
The new child restraint system has been developed jointly with Takata Co., Ltd., a child restraint seat maker, and conforms to ISOFIX(*1)standards, which specify a child restraint seat fastening method allowing easy and secure installation/removal. The system will be marketed as the result of the two companies' active efforts in promoting this international standardization.
Toyota plans to make the necessary modifications to its vehicles, and will begin marketing the new child restraint seat starting in the summer of this year.
- *1
- International Standard on Fastening Methods and ISOFIX
ISOFIX is a child restraint seat fastening method specified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Its objectives are the prevention of incorrect use, improved fit in vehicles, and the international standardization of installation methods. ISOFIX was proposed by Swedish authorities in 1990 and was established as an International Standard in January 1999 following international discussion. Efforts are underway in various countries to make the necessary modifications to vehicles and to develop new child restraint seats that conform to this new standard.
- *2
- A protector that supports the chest area.
- *3
- Protectors that cover the sides of the head. Can be adjusted up/down and left/right to suit the size and position of the passenger.
- *4
- Adapter for fastening the child restraint system to the vehicle
Attachment
Conformance to the new international standard for installation methods
- Common base (adapter) for fastening an infant seat or child seat to the vehicle
- An infant (child) seat is secured after being locked into the dedicated anchor provided in the vehicle.
Dedicated anchor in the vehicle (6-mm dia. bar)
Dedicated anchor in the child restraint system
Infant seat
- Can be securely fastened to the vehicle with a one-touch operation.
- Lighter weight allows the seat to be detached from the base and carried.
Child seat
- Can be securely fastened to the vehicle with a one-touch operation.
- Uses an impact shield that can be easily fastened and that supports the chest area.
- Uses side wings that protect the head.
- Wider applicable age range (increased from "up to 4 years of age" to "up to 6 years"), and lighter weight for ease of use.
The above photographs show prototypes under development.
TOYOTA SAYS "THINK SAFETY―BUCKLE UP,"
ANNOUNCES INTRODUCTION OF SAFETY SEAT ANCHOR POINTS
TORRANCE, Calif., February 25, 1999―Toyota supports the efforts of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to require the adoption of a new universal rigid child safety-seat anchorage system for passenger cars.
The adoption of a universal seat anchoring system will provide a secure attachment for child safety seats and reduce the chance for improper installation. As soon as the standard is finalized, Toyota will begin installing this new system in select vehicles in the U.S. and other major markets beginning with the 2001 model year. Phase-in will continue in following model years on all of its vehicle lines.
In addition, Toyota will install top-tether anchors and hardware on an accelerated schedule beginning in late-1999, in the U.S. and Canada. This will provide an additional, easy-to-use seat anchor location.
"Toyota is a leader in the area of vehicle-occupant safety," said Jim Press, senior vice president and general manager, automotive operations, for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. "We have worked closely with NHTSA on the development of the standard, and applaud their efforts. We look forward to providing our customers with the added benefits and protection this system will provide."
Throughout its history, Toyota has taken a leadership position in the development of passenger, and specifically, child-safety features. In the late 1970s, Toyota first installed child-proof rear door locks that disabled the inside door handle, making it impossible for a child to open the rear doors from inside, but allowing them to be opened from the outside in an emergency. In 1994, the company began installing automatic locking retractor (ALR) seatbelts which eliminated the need to use a locking clip when securing a child safety seat.
Today, all Toyota and Lexus models incorporate both of these features. And should a customer have an older non-ALR-equipped model, they can obtain a free locking clip by calling Toyota's Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-331-4331.
In 1997, Toyota first made available an optional built-in child safety seat. Today, both the Corolla sedan and Sienna minivan offer the added safety and convenience that a permanently installed seat provides.
Also installed on all Lexus, and select newer-generation Toyota models, is a sensor in the front passenger seat that determines whether the seat is occupied. If the seat is occupied, and the seatbelt is not buckled, a "fasten passenger seatbelt" warning light is illuminated.
"All Toyota and Lexus seatbelt systems are designed to minimize injury to occupants of all ages in all types of crashes", said Press. "But they work only when used properly. We hope that NHTSA's new child seat standards will help more parents to understand that seatbelts and safety seats save lives―and use them"
