Forthcoming car safety technology, designed to reduce crashes and save lives, has been shown off at the Frankfurt motor show using a specially created transparent car.Global automotive safety company TRW used a life-sized acrylic car to show the internal workings of the intelligent safety systems that can anticipate road conditions – something it says will become commonplace in cars within the next decade.

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The car was ‘driven’ around during the demonstration by a number of models.

Amongst the kit being displayed was a range of airbags and active braking and steering systems designed to negotiate an unnoticed obstacle automatically.

Sensors around the vehicle can process information in a full 360-degree field and a radar system scans the road ahead for pedestrians and stationary cars.

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New active seat belts are also fitted, which can tighten and reduce slack on-demand – better managing the force of a passenger flung forward in a collision and minimising injuries.

Further kit fitted to the see-through car included electric power steering – a common sight on many new vehicles thanks to its lower power consumption. TRW’s latest system can also compensate if it detects a crosswind.

TRW is currently a leading automotive safety supplier, with clients including Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and Ford and Toyota.

John Plant, the company’s chairman and CEO, said: “Over the next decade, active safety systems will become increasingly intelligent as greater efforts are made to reduce the number of road fatalities worldwide

“More automated functions will be introduced that will operate continuously in certain situations in addition to providing emergency support when needed.”