Airbags are designed to inflate rapidly in the event of a collision, providing a cushioning barrier between the vehicle occupants and the car’s interior structures, thus reducing the risk of injury. Here’s a step-by-step overview of how airbags work:
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1. Impact Detection:
- The vehicle is equipped with sensors, typically accelerometers, that can detect a sudden deceleration (as in a collision).
- The airbag system’s control unit evaluates the sensor signals and determines whether the impact is severe enough to warrant airbag deployment.
2. Ignition of Propellant:
- If a collision is detected, an electrical signal triggers a heating element.
- This heating element ignites a solid propellant inside the airbag inflator.
- The burning propellant generates a large volume of gas (usually nitrogen).
3. Airbag Inflation:
- The gas rapidly inflates the airbag, causing it to burst through its cover and inflate to its full size.
- This happens very quickly, typically within 20 to 30 milliseconds of the initial impact.
4. Cushioning the Occupant:
- The inflated airbag provides a soft cushion between the occupant and the vehicle’s interior, reducing the risk of injury.
- The airbag is designed to deflate or vent gas immediately after cushioning the occupant to allow for a controlled deceleration of the occupant.
5. Deflation:
- After the collision, the gas inside the airbag starts to escape through vent holes, allowing the airbag to deflate.
- This deflation is important as it helps to absorb the energy from the occupant, and it allows the occupant to exit the vehicle after the collision.
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Safety Considerations:
- Airbags are supplementary restraint systems (SRS) and are designed to work best in conjunction with seat belts.
- Front airbags are typically housed in the steering wheel and the dashboard on the passenger side, while side airbags are located in the doors or the seats.
- Vehicle occupants should always wear seat belts as they help to position the occupant properly relative to the airbags and help restrain the occupant during lower severity collisions where the airbags do not deploy.
- Children and infants in rear-facing car seats should never be placed in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with an airbag due to the risk of serious injury or death from the deploying airbag.
