Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Airbags and Safety in Automobiles

The airbag system in cars is simple, yet it is effective to provide high levels of safety to the people in in the car in case of a collision by restricting his movements to avoid collision with interior features of car such as steering wheel or the windscreen. Though the concept was introduced in 1970s, but it was not followed on  large scale until the early 1990s.

This feature protects the persons who are correctly restrained by a seat belt. The recent trends marks the airbag apparatus in the dashboard side only and offers protection from head on collisions only. The sensors sense the impact of a collision and under considerable forces, they inflate the air bags with the help of air cylinders offering necessary protection to the occupant.

Industry manufacturers have come up with models in the recent times that provide overall protection of to the car and its occupant to protect them against collisions from various angles and sides. Some models are also using the air bags for other innovative purposes also.

Present use as a safety measure
In conventional model cars, air bags are a feature limited to the front side alone providing safety against head on collisions. It has saved a considerable number of lives over the years.

The principle of working of the system is a very simple. Sensor arrays are arranged in the front bumper part of the vehicle. In case of a head on collision, the senses sense the force of the impact and under adequate force of impact it activates the mechanism that inflates the air bags to provide a cushion to the occupants of the car to stop them from crashing against things in the car.

The early inflation systems were compressed air gas systems that used to store compressed air and used it to inflate the air bag in case of a head on impact. The new systems contain chemicals like sodium azide (NaN3) and potassium nitrate (KNO3). In case of an impact the sensor will initiate a reaction between the two chemicals leading to the formation of nitrogen gas. The gusts of gases will inflate the airbags quickly restraining the motion of the car occupants.

Earlier, air bags were provided in the steering wheel only. But later they were placed in various other compromising places like the dashboard and the seat belts also. The latest air bags have the capability to cover the whole interior of the car in case of a collision.

Conventionally air bags in the form of parachutes are also used in jets and aircraft while landing to reduce their speed within a short time. The pilot releases the parachute to reduce the dangerous speeds of the aircraft in short time. This approach is being worked out in case of vehicles also to control the impact of collision by stopping the car.

Innovations and extended features
Efforts are in progress to extend the reach of airbags to the exterior of the vehicle as well. Almost all of the vehicle's interior protection has been achieved by the manufacturers. Attempts are being made to use the air bags below the vehicle.

When the sensors detect the possibilities of collisions, the air bag can be inflated to reduce the momentum of the car by elevating it and as a result the occupants will get less severe injuries.

Additionally, such systems will be beneficial in the braking the vehicle, in addition to the  mechanical braking that is used. The air bags are coated with materials that will offer much friction for the motion of the vehicle to continue. The position of the air bags will be shifted to sidewards and rear of the vehicle to offer protection to the vehicle against collision from different angles.

Research is being done on better material for withstanding the collision impact and providing adequate friction to bags for braking purpose is on. Manufacturers are going to implement these provisions in cars, and they have achieved a great deal of success and the prototypes are being tested for efficiency and reliability. In the years to come, with the revolutionary air bag system, car owners will be enjoying better quality safety.


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