THE DRIVER OF THE MERCEDES WAS TRAVELING EAST ON INTERSTATE 80 IN A RURAL AREA OF CALIFORNIA. THE DRIVER CLAIMS TO HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO LEAVE THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE FREEWAY WHILE TRAVERSING A LEFT CURVE IN THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE LAUNCHED OFF A SLIGHT DOWNHILL EMBANKMENT SOUTH OF THE ROADWAY AND THE VEHICLE TRAVERSED AN UNDULATED VEGETATIVE AREA PRIOR TO STRIKING A LARGE DIAMETER TREE WITH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE IMPACT WAS RIGHT OF THE CENTER OF THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER WERE WEARING THEIR TYPE-2 SAFETY BELTS. AFTER STRIKING THE TREE, THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED ONTO ITS LEFT SIDE AND CAME TO REST ON ITS ROOF. THE DRIVER FRONT AND SIDE-CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AS DID THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE-CURTAIN AIRBAG. THE FRONT PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION. THE INVESTIGATING CHP OFFICER OBSERVED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND REQUESTED AN EVALUATION OF THE SYSTEM DUE TO A PERCEIVED POTENTIAL SRS SYSTEM FAILURE. CHP MULTIDISCIPLINARY ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION TEAM (MAIT) EVALUATED THE SYSTEM (SEE INCLUDED MAIT INVESTIGATION). *TR