Tokyo  - Toyota has developed the first centrally positioned rear seat airbag to offer passengers improved protection in the event of an accident, the company announced recently.

In a side-on collision, the airbag is activated from a fixed rear-seat console, preventing injury to passengers who would normally collide with each other.

Toyota did not say in which model the system would be installed, saying only that it will be available "in the near future." (dpa)