Child safety: Car seat failures and detection system weaknesses identified

Recent safety investigations by mobility clubs including ADAC, TCS, and ÖAMTC have highlighted critical risks regarding child safety in vehicles.

Testing of Child Presence Detection (CPD) systems reveals that while many direct sensing systems work reliably, there are still weaknesses in detecting newborns. These systems are designed to prevent heatstroke by alerting owners if a child or pet is left in a parked car, a situation that can become fatal within minutes due to rising temperatures.

Separately, crash tests conducted by SRF ‘Kassensturz’ and mobility clubs identified eight car seat models with significant safety flaws. Seven of these are similar models sold under different brand names. During crash tests, the lower attachments of these seats failed, causing the seat shells to be thrown through the vehicle interior. Although these models meet legal requirements, experts strongly advise against purchasing them. The Foppapedretti Disk Infant i-Size, used with the Tech i-Size base, was named the top performer in the testing.