General Motors plans to introduce the industry’s first front center air bag; an inflatable restraint designed to help protect drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle.

This new air bag, known as the front center air bag, will be introduced on the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, and Chevrolet Traverse in the 2013 model year.  The new feature will be standard on all Enclave models and Acadia and Traverse models with power seats.

The front center air bag deploys from the right side of the driver’s seat and positions itself between the front row seats near the center of the vehicle.

The air bag is designed to provide restraint during passenger-side crashes when the driver is the only front occupant, as well as act as an energy absorbing cushion between driver and front passenger in both driver- and passenger-side crashes.  The air bag is also expected to provide benefit in rollovers.

GM found that far-side impact crashes, which the front center air bag primarily addresses, accounted for 11% of belted front occupant fatalities in non-rollover impacts between 2004 and 2009.  “No other air bag in passenger vehicles today offers the type of restraint and cushioning this air bag is designed to provide for front occupants,” said Scott Thomas, senior staff engineer in GM’s advanced restraint system.

“The front center air bag has real potential to save lives in side crashes,” said Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “GM should be commended for taking the lead in this important area.”