Passive safety comprises all measures which are designed to offer protection in an accident. Examples include the NECK-PRO head restraint, a standard feature on the front seats: when the sensor detects an impact from the rear, it thrusts the head restraint forwards in a matter of a few milliseconds to reduce the gap between it and the occupant’s head.

All seats are fitted with 3-point seat belts. In the event of a frontal or rear-end collision of a specific severity, belt tensioners pull the belts tight against the body. The belt force limiters increase occupant safety in a frontal collision. They ensure that the tension is released in a controlled manner once a set limit has been reached.

The E-Class Coupé is fitted as standard with front airbags, front sidebags plus windowbags for all seats. There is also a kneebag for the driver. Sidebags for the rear are available as an option.

In addition to focusing on occupant protection in the development of the new E-Class Coupé, consideration was also given to other road users, and pedestrians in particular. In the event of a front impact, the fully reversible Active Bonnet can pop up by approx. five centimetres using spring force in the rear area. This creates additional crumple space to reduce the risk of injury to people colliding with the bonnet. An extra safety advantage for pedestrians is Brake Assist (BAS): it can recognise emergency braking situations based on the application speed of the braking pedal and automatically build up full braking power in order to significantly reduce braking distances.