Standard equipment for the CLK Cabriolet includes two-stage front airbags plus head/thorax sidebags for the driver and front passenger. Sidebags for the rear are available as an option (standard for the CLK 63 AMG).

The airbags are deployed selectively, which means that in the event of a side-on collision, only the airbags on the impact side are activated. In a frontal collision, the front airbags are deployed in two stages, depending on the severity of the impact.

If the front passenger seat is empty, the seat occupancy sensor prevents the front airbag and head/thorax sidebag on the front passenger side from deploying.

Hopefully you’ll never get to see them: the automatic roll-over bars of the CLK Cabriolet. Integrated in the head restraints of the rear seats, they can be extended within milliseconds in a roll-over to protect the passengers.

Even the head restraints contain intelligent technology. In a rear-end collision the sensor-controlled NECK-PRO head restraints on the driver's and front passenger's seat move forwards and up, sharply reducing the whipping motion of the head.