Autoliv patents new self-adjusting motorcycle helmet strap
Autoliv’s self-adjusting helmet strap could shake up lid design, but whether it’s a genuine safety step forward or an over-engineered fix remains to be seen.
Motorcycle helmet technology could be about to head in a new, intriguing direction, as the automotive safety company, Autoliv, rethinks what a helmet’s chinstrap should be.
Helmet safety development is as aggressive as that of the bikes we ride. Manufacturers are continually focusing on making helmets lighter, stronger, and more connected. One area of helmet design that has changed little over the years, though, is the chinstrap.
Typically, the double-D ring is the industry standard. However, for touring and general road riding, the ease of use provided by the micro-metric ratchet has made it a popular plan B – and don't even get me started on the Ruroc ‘Fid Lock’ system!
But there may be a new strap system on the block in the years to come. And this one will, if its maker’s claims are true, automatically adjust to the rider’s head.
The system relies on the kind of technology used in car seat belts, an area Autoliv knows well. It means that the strap of the helmet can be loosened if the rider gently pulls upon it, then it can retighten again to maintain a snug fit on the rider's head. Quite how the system will be able to comfortably tighten the strap, and not garrotte the rider in the process remains to be seen, although there is another safety feature of the system.
Many car seat belts will, should the vehicle be involved in a crash, tighten around the user to ensure they are not thrown around inside the vehicle or, in the worst case scenario, ejected from it. Autoliv has applied this theory to the strap design, although it doesn’t strictly tighten the strap in the event of a jolt, merely locking it to prevent it from becoming any looser.
There are still some question marks over the system’s legitimacy, with the most pressing being quite how its makers propose cramming all that mechanical kit within the slim confines of a motorcycle helmet. And with that, will the lid’s weight be negatively impacted? Secondly, is it really needed? A helmet coming off in a crash is a rare occurrence and can often be attributed to either poor manufacturing or user error. Do we really need a mechanical device to tighten up our lids before every ride - are we really getting that lazy?!
Whether this is the next big leap in helmet safety or a clever solution to a problem that doesn’t really exist is still up for debate. On paper, Autoliv’s idea has merit, especially if it can genuinely improve fit and consistency without adding bulk or weight. But in the real world, where a properly fastened lid is already a non-negotiable, it feels like one of those innovations that might be more about what’s possible than what’s necessary. As ever, the proof will be in how it performs out on the road, and whether riders actually feel they need it in the first place.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
