How Do Car Airbags Work?

Airbags have become a non-negotiable security feature for today’s cars. These critical safety devices are designed to protect occupants in a vehicle from getting grievously injured during a collision. As per industry research, car airbags, especially those in the front, can reduce driver fatalities by 29% which is quite significant. This article will help you to understand how car airbags work, why they are an important addition to your car safety best practices, and much more.

The Importance of Airbags in Vehicle Safety

Car airbags are crucial safety devices designed to protect the occupants during a collision. They provide sufficient cushioning, preventing the body from hitting hard surfaces, and thus helping prevent fatal injuries from happening. Airbags have been shown to significantly decrease fatalities and serious injuries in accidents, making them an integral component of modern vehicle safety systems.

Adoption of Airbag Technology in India

Indian roads witness roughly 1.5 Lakh accidents a year which is a significant number. With the rise in the number of road accidents, the importance of airbag technology has gained significant momentum in the past decade. The increase in road safety awareness has led Indian car manufacturers and resellers to include airbags along with other standard safety features in their vehicles.

What is an Airbag in a Car?

Definition and Purpose

By definition, an airbag is a supplemental restraint system that rapidly inflates as soon as a collision occurs to provide robust cushioning to a car’s occupants. It’s purpose is to prevent fatal injuries by absorbing the impact forces due to a collision.

Historical Development of Airbags

The concept of airbags dates back to the 1950s, but widespread commercial use began in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Initially, airbags were primarily installed in driver and passenger seats, but advancements have led to various types of airbags being integrated into modern vehicles.

How Do Car Airbags Work?

Components of an Airbag System

An airbag system consists of several key components:

1. Crash Sensors: A car’s crash sensors detect collision forces and deploy as per their programming by car manufacturers. In the event of a collision, if the car is running at a speed higher than the threshold, these sensors predict the collision and deploy the airbag before it happens.

2. Inflation Mechanism: The inflation mechanism of the airbag generates gas to inflate the airbag rapidly.

3. Airbag Module: Contains the airbag itself and other necessary components for deployment and are  located at the dashboard and the steering wheel of a car.

4. Airbag Control Unit: This device forms the heart of the airbag’s mechanism and controls the sensors and inflation mechanisms. It processes the signals from the sensors and signals the airbag module to inflate and absorb the resulting impact of fatal car crashes.

Step-by-Step Deployment Process

1. Collision Detection: Sensors monitor vehicle dynamics. If a significant impact is detected, they send a signal to the airbag control unit which then sends the signals for timely inflation.

2. Activation: The control unit triggers the inflation mechanism.

3. Inflation: A chemical reaction produces gas that fills the airbag within milliseconds.

Airbag Types

Front Airbags: Front airbags protect belted occupants sitting at the front of the car from getting fatally injured from head-on collisions to the dashboard. 

Side Airbags: Side airbags are included in vehicles to prevent passenger ejection, as well as prevent them from sustaining fatal head injuries in the event of an accident. These are deployed based on the speed of the vehicle and airbag sensor signals in the event of an accident.

Curtain Airbags: Drop down from above to shield occupants' heads during side collisions or rollovers.

Knee Airbags: Positioned beneath the dashboard to protect lower extremities.

Safety Risks Of Airbags

Potential Injuries from Airbag Deployment: While airbags save lives, they can also cause injuries if occupants are too close at the time of deployment.

Importance of Proper Seating Position: To maximize effectiveness, passengers should maintain proper seating positions and wear seatbelts.

Risks to Children and Small Adults: Children and smaller adults are at higher risk from airbag deployment; hence, appropriate child safety seats should be used.

Airbags and Car Seats: Ensuring Child Safety

Compatibility of Airbags with Child Car Seats

Airbags can pose risks to children seated in rear-facing car seats. It is crucial to understand how airbags interact with child safety systems.

Cars with 6 Airbags in India

Overview of the Growing Trend

With the increase in the number of road fatalities in India, car manufacturers are taking note of the importance of including airbags as safety features. Today, almost all car models and their variants come equipped a standard of 6 airbags. 

Affordable Models Offering 6 Airbags

Hyundai Grand i10 Nios

Hyundai Exter

Hyundai Aura

Hyundai i20

Hyundai Venue

Kia Sonet

Tata Nexon

Benefits of Choosing Cars with Multiple Airbags

Opting for cars with 6 airbags provides additional layers of protection, significantly improving occupant safety during accidents. Here are some of the benefits of having this safety feature in your car:

Impact absorption: The impact of a car collision can be more intense than one can assume. Studies have shown that airbags prevent 52% of possible head injury due to head-on collision for belted drivers. It provides the necessary cushioning for a person’s head to prevent life-taking injuries from happening.

Prevention of ejection: Airbags prevent occupants from ejecting from the car during a collision and help to contain them within the vehicle, thus eliminating threat to their lives due to resultant injuries.

Protection for At-Risk Age Groups: Airbags provide the required protection to vulnerable occupants like small children or elderly people, thus making your car robust with safety features.

Maintenance and Inspection of Airbag Systems

Regular Check-Ups and Diagnostics

Check your airbags regularly, at least once a year to ensure that they do not malfunction in the time of need. To ensure optimal performance, regular diagnostics and inspections of airbag systems are essential. This includes checking sensors and inflation mechanisms.

Recognizing Warning Signs of Malfunction

Always keep an eye on dashboard indicators to be proactive about any potential problems. Indicators like the Engine Check light in car help us understand and take precautions against any possible damages to the car engine and rectify them in time. Similarly, it is also crucial to learn about indicator lights that may indicate malfunctions in any of your car’s safety features.

Importance of Authorized Service Centers

Authorised service centres, although costly, always source spare parts from the original manufacturers. Hence, it is always worth spending a little extra money than suffering major losses while repairing/maintaining your vehicle. 

Insure Your Car

In India, car insurance is mandatory. Hence, it is important to buy a comprehensive car insurance policy with robust coverage. If you are unable to invest in a comprehensive car insurance policy, ensure that you buy the necessary insurance add-ons like engine protection cover and roadside assistance cover to be on the safer side.

Future of Airbag Technology

Integration with Advanced Sensor Technology and AI

AI and automation are everywhere. Integration of airbag sensors with AI will improve the quality of it’s responsiveness, thus facilitating prompt and quicker response than what is offered now. This move will facilitate more accurate predictions of collision scenarios, thus aiding better protection in the future.

Flexible Venting Technology

Flexible venting technology is being developed to reduce the harshness of the injuries due to inflation of airbags. This technology allows gas to escape at the time of inflation, thus aiding a softer impact on a person’s body during inflation.

Enhanced Crash Protection Features

New airbag designs include features such as curtain airbags and "far-side airbags" that provide nearly 360-degree protection for occupants. These innovations aim to prevent injuries from various angles during side-impact collisions.

Potential Innovations on the Horizon

Research is ongoing into new materials and technologies that could make airbags even safer and more effective.

Conclusion

Car airbags are integral to ensuring the safety of passengers and help them from sustaining life-threatening injuries in the event of a crash. With the rise in the number of road fatalities, car manufacturers are coming up with different ways to protect their customers from a collision impact. There have been several instances where airbags deployed at the right time have saved many lives.