The Mahindra XUV700 is renowned as one of the most technologically advanced and safest vehicles in India, boasting a flawless 5-star safety rating from GNCAP. However, a recent incident involving an XUV700 owner has sparked significant safety concerns about the SUV. Despite enduring a harrowing accident that saw the vehicle flip over six times, the front airbags remained inactive. Fortunately, the owner sustained only minor injuries.
Tejeshwar Reddy shared the frightening experience on X (formerly Twitter), addressing Anand Mahindra. Reddy recounted the incident, which took place on April 25th, 2024, while traveling on NH44 near Dhone, Andhra Pradesh, in his XUV700 AX7.
Despite correctly fastening their seat belts during the crash and rollover, the owner expressed shock and disbelief at the failure of the SUV’s front airbags to deploy, leaving occupants exposed to significant risk. Reddy’s tweet raised serious doubts about the effectiveness and reliability of the XUV700’s advertised safety features.
Upon examining the wreckage after the accident, Reddy found that only the left curtain airbags had deployed, while the crucial front airbags remained inactive. Front airbags are typically designed to deploy during frontal collisions, aiming to safeguard occupants from head and chest injuries by absorbing the impact between occupants and the vehicle’s interior.
However, in rollover accidents, the deployment of front airbags hinges on the design of the vehicle’s safety system and the sensors utilized. Some vehicles integrate rollover sensors that detect the vehicle’s angle and rate of roll, triggering airbag deployment if specific thresholds are met. These sensors often collaborate with the stability control system to anticipate and respond to imminent rollovers, activating safety measures such as front and curtain airbag deployment to enhance occupant protection.
Determining whether front airbags should have deployed in this specific case is complex, influenced by various factors including vehicle design, safety system capabilities, and the circumstances of the accident.