While safety of airbags is being considered more mandatory in all cars and trucks, this is not standard in heavy trucks.
In the U.S., having airbags on vehicles for both driver and passenger is a requirement for highway safety.
Semi trucks are not required to have airbags, as there is no significant amount of force on the driver in the cabin if an accident occurs.
Tubular airbags would provide a cushion for the drivers head every time there is a crash which causes the truck to flip.
While side airbags are standard on all trucks, Freightliner trucks also have tubular side airbags.
Volvo was the first commercial truck manufacturer to introduce driver-side airbags, and is the only manufacturer that offers standard driver-side airbags on all models.
Despite things like side-impact airbags and automated braking, trucks are still a substantial danger for passenger cars.
Many manufacturers are taking to installing airbags on their semi trucks because they observed one company who went above and beyond safety,
producing the driver a safer environment, and pioneered new safer components.
The insight lawmakers should have behind not passing airbag laws on commercial trucks
and semis is the truck is size is what is going to protect the driver if there is a crash.