The U.S. Patents and Trademark Office on July 17 granted Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia Motors Corp. patent for a three-fold curtain airbag design aimed at protecting a driver in an oblique crash.

According to the patent, the new curtain airbag can prevent the head of a driver from hitting an A-pillar through the space between a two-fold curtain airbag that is provided in vehicles and a driver airbag.

"When the curtain airbag is fully inflated, the protruding portion may block a space between the curtain airbag and the front airbag, with an indoor end of the protruding portion in contact with a door-side end of the front airbag," according to the patent filing for the new airbag design.

The new curtain airbag was issued the patent number 10023148. Kia and Hyundai applied for the patent July 29, 2016, through inventor Jae Ho Choi.