Safety Systems - Ferrari F430 Spider Owner's Manual

Safety systems

Ferrari has designed and constructed this
vehicle to offer the optimal performance
for a road vehicle while incorporating a
number of safety systems to help provide
for occupant safety. Following some simple
rules will help ensure maximum efficiency
of the entire system.
Passive safety
The passive safety system activates in the
event of a collision.
In addition to the seats and the headrests,
the passive safety system components are:
• seat belts fitted with pretensioners and
load limiting devices;
• airbag;
• passenger airbag deactivation switch;
• passenger airbag deactivation warning
light;
• airbag system failure warning light (see
page 38);
• deformable body shell and protective
survival cell;
• fuel cut-off inertia switch.
Depending on the impact, the passive
safety system operates in different ways by
activating the various system components.
In the event of minor collisions: in addition
to the protective action of the seats,
headrest and bodywork of the vehicle, only
the seat belts are designed to prevent the
occupants from being ejected from the seat.
In the event of more severe head-on
collisions: in addition to the seat belts, the
pretensioners are designed to activate with
additional restraining action.
In the event of an even more severe
head-on collision: in addition to the
pretensioners, the airbags are designed to
deploy.
The load limiting devices on the seat
belts are designed to provide a suitable
restraining action for the occupant, so as to
help prevent serious injury to his/her chest.
The protective action of the airbags is
always integrated with the seat belts
and the pretensioners. If the seat belts are
not fastened, the driver and/or passenger
may be seriously injured. In the event of
collisions, side impacts or vehicle rollovers,
i.e., when the airbags are not designed to
be activated, it is essential to have the seat
belts fastened.
Deformable body
The deformable body shell is designed
to absorb shock and distribute it over the
entire structure of the vehicle allowing
progressive deceleration.
The passenger compartment structure has
been designed to offer resistance without
undergoing deformation, helping to ensure
a protective cell for the occupants.
2 - About your vehicle
Active safety
The active safety system has been designed
to help prevent collisions.
In addition to the maneuverability, stability
and acceleration features of the vehicle,
the active safety components include the
following:
• braking system
• air conditioning and heating system
• external lights
• buzzer and flashing warning lights.
The braking system comprises the
mechanical braking system and the
electronic traction stability control
system (CST) which prevents the wheels
from locking and always provides good
maneuverability and stability.
Rapid acceleration can, in some cases,
help you get out of dangerous situations.
However, always use the accelerator with
extreme caution. During acceleration of the
driving wheels, the anti-skid system may
help you in certain dangerous situations.
The air conditioning and heating system
in the passenger compartment can add to
driving comfort and keep you alert so that
you can react quickly when necessary.
It is very important to see and be seen
clearly, hence it is essential to turn on the
external lights when the conditions so
require.
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