Child car seat safety feature

[JonnyRotten]

Hi Folks,

I'm not sure if i am posting this in the correct place so apologies if I'm not. I have recently purchased a Cybex Aton Q infant car seat as per the attached photo. It has a safety feature that I just can't quite get on board with. You are supposed to extend the telescopic rod (Or "Linear Side-impact Protection") so that it is close to the car door. During a side impact it is supposed to "divert the impact forces into the hard shell of the car seat rather than through the baby"). In a side impact then there will be some deformation of the door/pillar. Energy from the crash will be absorbed through this deformation so that if the door reaches the car seat then the impact should be less severe. If you then have a rigid rod coming from the car seat in this space where the deformation would occur then wouldn't it subject a higher load to the car seat than if it wasn't there? Does that make sense? I know the side of a car does not have a crumple zone but surely it will act as one to a certain extent? The first point of contact would be the shell of the car seat anyway, even if the rod is not extended. To add another complexity, the car seat is attached to the car via isofix points. I believe these points are connected to the chassis so in a side impact, any impact force to the chassis should also be felt through the car seat.

I look forward to your thoughts........

 

[BrianPetersen]

I doubt if this has been crash-tested in every possible vehicle configuration that it could be installed in. It's pretty likely to be pressing (as a point load) against an interior trim panel that isn't designed to handle a point load like that. Personally, I wouldn't use that feature.

 

[JonnyRotten]

Thanks for your reply Brian, I'm thinking that I won't use it.