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Despite its introduction, car manufacturers have continuously developed and honed the airbag system further. Succeeding developments launched the front-passenger and side-impact airbag systems onto the market, followed soon thereafter by the window airbag. In 1998, adaptive or dual-stage airbag systems were introduced. This system allows the airbag to deploy in two stages depending on the severity of the accident, thus providing even more effective occupant protection. In the future, airbags will continue to play an important role in passenger car safety. Engineers are now looking into the possibility of a protective system that automatically adapts itself to take into account the current accident situation and the car occupants. Sophisticated radar technology could also help in this respect. If developed a stage further, this radar technology and other anticipatory sensors could provide the data needed to calculate the severity of an unavoidable accident before actual impact. Airbags could then take a more integral role in passenger protection by deploying in several slower stages and with greater volume of air in order to protect the occupants for a longer period of time. Another possibility for the airbags of tomorrow is to provide even more personalized protection. By way of example, it should be possible to program the on-board computer with information such as the age, sex and biometric data (e.g. body size and weight) of the occupants in order to tailor the protection system to individual requirements. Though most drivers would never need to experience an airbag inflation, those who do would be glad that the technology did exist. From a friend that suffered with nothing more than a bruised ego after a collision with a wayward van or to a relative that escaped with nothing more than a huge repair bill, they are all glad to be alive with the help of a tear-resistant fabric bag powered by gas explosives nestled in the middle of the steering wheel. The airbag is something that is now taken for granted, but it should always be remembered for its role in saving people’s lives. Happy twenty-fifth birthday to the airbag. |
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