A new patent-pending jean that may help protect motorcyclists in the event of a crash is underway.
Airbag Inside Sweden AB recently bowed a prototype for Airbag Jeans, a men’s motorcycle jean that is lined on the inside with airbags to offer impact protection for the lower half of the body.
Citing data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the company says the majority of all injuries in a motorcycle accident occur on the lower body, and they tend to be permanent.
Airbag Jeans aims to eliminate these injuries.
When the rider falls, a safety cord that connects the jeans to the bike triggers inflation.
The company is currently seeking funding to develop an electronic airbag trigger system that would automatically inflate on impact, said Airbag Inside Sweden AB founder Moses Shahrivar.
The jeans were developed by the Airbag Consortium A.D.A.M, a European group of experts in software, hardware, jeans manufacturing and airbag innovation working together to bring airbag clothing to market.
The group is part of Smart X, an EU program initiative set up to help fund and speed up the prototyping process for smart textile innovations.
Airbag Inside Sweden AB is currently working with Detecht, a motorcyclist app, to help build buzz and gauge interest in the product before going into production.
Italian denim manufacturer Monlid SRL will produce the jeans.
Shahrivar said the jeans target the 36 million riders in the EU and the U.S., and names airbag jackets and vests as future projects.
