JP Ver.

Kiyosu, Japan, June 11, 2026: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.’s new driver-side airbag, vibration-damping glass runs for more quiet cabins, and exterior parts using recycling technology and environmentally-friendly in-mold coating technology have been chosen for use on the new Lexus ES launched from Toyota Motor.

1. Driver-side airbag with new structure

Driver-side airbags are installed in the steering wheel and deploy to mitigate impacts to the driver’s head and chest during frontal collisions. Toyoda Gosei has now developed a driver-side airbag with a new structure that can gently protect a wide range of drivers—those with small and large physiques, elderly people, and others. Change of the bag shape from a sphere to a cylindrical shape has led to increase in its depth by over 25% with capacity to restrain the driver at an earlier moment during collisions. This improves the bag’s performance in absorbing impacts to the body, and can effectively protect heavy drivers with large physiques, elderly people who are susceptible to bone fracture injuries, and others. Toyoda Gosei aims for the wider adoption of these airbags to comply with the stricter safety regulations in all parts of the world and move closer to zero traffic fatalities.¹

2. Vibration Damping Glass Runs That Contribute to Quieter Vehicle Interiors

Glass runs are attached to window frames to prevent the intrusion of noise, wind, and rain into vehicle interiors and raise cabin quietness. Toyoda Gosei has developed vibration damping glass runs that add a vibration absorption function to these parts by focusing on the wind noise that enters vehicles mainly through side door window glass. The sound insulation properties were raised by adding a section that absorbs the glass vibration to the glass run.² These glass runs are recognized for their contribution to riding comfort, and received an award in the Engineering Category of the Toyota Motor Corporation Project Awards.

Electrified vehicles are increasingly used in recent years, and have greater interior quietness as a result of decreased engine noise. Wind and road noise are therefore more likely to be noticed by people riding in these vehicles. Toyoda Gosei has sought to develop various types of weatherstrips (window and door frame sealing parts) to meet the need for higher levels of sound insulation, and going forward will support the creation of comfortable vehicles through increases in the number of vehicle models adopting these parts.

3. Exterior products using environmental technology

3-1. Plastic recycling technology

Toyoda Gosei’s recycled plastic includes a high percentage of plastic recovered from end-of-life vehicles. It achieves a performance equal to that of new material with the company’s original material modification technology and Isono Co., Ltd’s procurement of high-quality recycled raw materials.³ Against a backdrop of stricter environmental regulations in Europe,⁴ this recycled plastic was first used on the Toyota Camry (in the model sold mainly in Europe), and now be used in front end other exterior parts of the Lexus ES.

Lower grille (left), front bumper lower (center), and rear bumper lower (right) use

3-2. In-mold coating technology

In-mold coating technology reduces CO₂ emissions during production by executing forming and painting of parts inside molds. It also contributes to higher design quality for automotive parts. Toyoda Gosei has now achieved mass production of a large exterior product (luggage panel) for the first time in Japan⁵ with the use of paint material design technology gained in a collaboration between Toyoda Gosei’s original mold technology for large parts⁶ and Kansai Paint Co., Ltd. To increase the smoothness of the painted surface, a seamless appearance in which the painted surface blends inconspicuously with the glass surface has been achieved, contributing to a high-class exterior design.

Luggage panel (In-mold coating technology used)

Toyoda Gosei will continue to leverage its expertise in plastic and contribute to more environmentally-friendly vehicle manufacturing.