mercedes anti-whiplash video here: http://www.leftlanenews.com/mercedes.asx.asf

full article: Last year, countless automakers took a lot of heat for providing insufficient whiplash protection in new vehicles. Only 16% of seats achieved the IIWPG ‘Good’ rating and a miserable 36% rated as ‘Poor’. So have things changed for 2006? According to Thatcham, many automakers have introduced systems to prevent whiplash in low-speed rear-collision accidents, but many of these systems “simply do not work.” Recently, we reported that Thatcham gave Volvo and Saab top ratings. The organization has since released its full report for 2006 model year vehicles. So is anyone working to prevent whiplash injuries besides the Swedes? For the most part, the answer is no. Most concerning are the ratings for many German luxury automobiles. The BMW 3-series, 5-series, X3, and X5 all received “poor ratings.” (The 5-series and 7-series offer optional seats that boost the rating to “acceptable.”) The Audi A3, A4, S4, and A6 were also rated “acceptable,” which is not too impressive considering the price of these cars. Lexus received a mix of “poor” and “marginal” scores. Mercedes received a few “acceptable” ratings for older models, but its latest offerings have catapulted it to the forefront of whiplash safety. The new R-Class, M-Class, A-Class, and B-Class all got top marks. Thatcham has an online video of the Mercedes system, which is the “first truly active head restraint,” according to the organization.

source: http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=806