Information of the Multimac, which has been round for 20+ years within the UK, has ebbed and flowed on social media for years. Because it’s presently making the rounds once more due to TikTok—we felt the necessity to deal with it. Once more.
When you’re not accustomed to it, the Multimac is a toddler restraint system that features three and even 4 seats which are put in on the similar time into a typical again seat. Varied equipment permit the Multimac to accommodate kids from start to age 12, from rear-facing to seatbelt-ready.
The four-seater Multimac signifies that individuals who beforehand would have wanted an SUV or minivan (or would have wanted to place one baby up entrance in a sedan) can now match 4 children at the back of a typical automotive.
Does that sound too good to be true? Properly, it’s and it isn’t.
The Multimac does seem to satisfy requirements…in the UK. It doesn’t meet U.S. requirements, and due to this fact can’t be offered or utilized in the USA.
When you’re dwelling in Europe, the Multimac is perhaps an awesome possibility. Nevertheless, if like most of our readers, you reside in America — you’re sadly out of luck.
When you’re an American hoping that the Multimac will ultimately be out there right here, don’t maintain your breath. There’s presently no means for the Mulitmac to cross U.S. testing.
For one, our commonplace requires baby restraints to be put in with a seatbelt or LATCH. The Multimac is put in with bolts and straps, plus legs that reach to the ground. It could fail U.S. testing by advantage of not having the ability to be put in on our check sled (that has no flooring) and due to this fact we don’t understand how it could fare by way of assembly damage standards.
Now let’s discuss price for a second. A four-seater Multimac with two rear-facing seats is about £2,500. (That doesn’t embrace the opposite equipment you would possibly want, but it surely’s a place to begin.) That interprets to about $3,275 US {dollars}, which is a giant chunk of change to drop on automotive seats. Then again, in case you are somebody dwelling within the UK, that’s nonetheless lots inexpensive than upgrading to an even bigger automobile. So you need to preserve it in perspective.
Perhaps sometime U.S. requirements will permit for testing of improvements just like the Multimac, however change in federal rules are sometimes verrrrry sluggish. Baby passenger security advocates have lengthy inspired adjustments, like including a flooring to the check sled to accommodate seats with load legs, however thus far nothing has come of that.
When you’d wish to see adjustments, contact your elected U.S. representatives and the Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration. Inform them we have to replace our FMVSS 213 sled check fixture to incorporate a flooring, so on the very least we are able to start testing U.S. automotive seats that function a load leg.
And in the event you’re within the UK, have enjoyable together with your Multimac!
