Nissan has just announced recently that it plans to equip a model that will be released in Japan with a device that will help save pedestrians from injuries. This technology presents itself in the form of a hood that automatically pops upward a few inches to put more distance between it and the hard engine components below, thus giving the hood more room to flex.

This feature is actually among the technologies being developed and designed to protect the pedestrians, especially in the event of low-speed mishaps so that they would survive. There are tough requirements in Europe and in Japan for cars to be pedestrian-friendly.

This new system will be installed in the Skyline, a model that’s built either as a sedan or coupe. It will utilize an explosive charge to lift the hood if a sensor in the bumper detects a collision with a pedestrian.

This may be unusual but it is not unique as General Motors spokesman Alan Adler said that a similar system will also be present in the versions of the redesigned Cadillac CTS that will be sold in Europe in fall.

The president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety which is a research group, Adrian Lund said that there is a potential for the “pop-up hood” but he still worries about the unintentional deployments in minor parking lot bumps. He said, “A number of automakers and suppliers are looking at this as a way to protect pedestrians,” he said. “But it’s simpler to redesign the look of the car so that there’s more space between the engine — the hard things — and the hood.”

However, this is a good technological feature as the safety of the pedestrians is still one of the top priorities of the government regulators in Japan, Europe, and the United States. With this, there is a great chance of pedestrians surviving a car encounter.