Honda has created new air-bag technology

I am not sure about the deployment speed but staged airbags have been around since 1998.

Two-stage front airbags

The front airbags of the C-class also adapt to the specific accident situation and thereby provide even more effective occupant protection. The era of these innovative adaptive restraint systems began in 1998 in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class: the Stuttgart-based auto manufacturer has now further developed this technology and for the first time is providing the C-class with two airbags that inflate in two stages as a function of the severity of impact. In other words, like the body structure of the new sedan, the restraint system is not solely designed to respond to high-speed collisions but also for the first time takes into account the special protective functions required for low to medium impact forces.

The technical explanation behind this system is that both the driver's and front passenger's airbags are fitted with two-stage gas generators. If the sensor system detects a minor front-end impact, it fires only one chamber of these inflator units, so that the airbags are only partially filled. Consequently, the airbags catch the occupants "softly". According to accident research, this feature is especially advantageous in collisions in the speed range between 20 and 35 km/h. If the airbag sensors register a higher accident load, the electronic control unit also activates the second chamber of the inflators, and the airbags are fully inflated. Depending on the severity of impact, this second airbag stage is triggered within only 5 to 15 milliseconds of the first.

The adaptive airbag system of the new Mercedes sedan includes a sensor system that decides whether or not to activate the protection system. For example, the airbag, belt tensioner and the sidebag on the front passenger's side are deactivated if the front passenger seat is unoccupied. A sensor mat in the seat cushion provides the necessary information to the electronic control unit.

Other than the speed cars have this technology for years.

NO . In this article is mistake . It`s World's First Driver-side i-SRS Airbag System with CONTINUOUSLY Staged Inflation . Two-stage airbags honda introduced in 1998 . Here is correct information :

http://world.honda.com/news/2008/4080918i-SRS-airbag-system/

But is this effectively different than the less complex Benz system?

Yes , it`s different than two-stage airbags that Honda and Mercedes introduced in 1998 . Have you read correct information ? There is this explained .

Well if you've read it correctly, CONTINOUSLY is obviously different from two stage system.. so yeah it's different.. so your point is what ?
that it wasn't invented by the German's so it must be crap ??

kpaxx, u sound like a pretty sharp guy!