Faster Safer

A modern car is equipped with gas cushions, which provide an invaluable service in the event of an accident.

Their effectiveness depends on how quickly they open after a collision.

The gas cushion is an actuating device. To get started, you need sensors and an electronic controller. Our life often depends on the speed of the sensor. On some vehicles, the sensor starts to work after 50 milliseconds from the moment of impact, and on others after 15 milliseconds. It depends on the device class. It is worth adding that the same sensor is triggered and seat belt pretensioners.

Due to the different position of the pads, the sensors are placed in several places. Using two sensors at the front of the engine bay, the system detects and analyzes the severity of a frontal collision at an early stage. In the most modern systems, two acceleration sensors are placed in the crush zone. They transmit signals to the controller, which calculates the absorbed energy and the vehicle's deformation rate as early as about 15 milliseconds after impact. It also evaluates whether it is a light impact that does not need to activate the airbag, or a serious collision that should activate the entire SRS. Depending on the nature of the collision, the occupant protection systems can be activated in one or two phases.

Side impacts are detected based on four side impact sensors. They transmit signals to a central sensor in the airbag control unit, where they are analyzed. This concept guarantees early activation of the side airbags protecting the head and chest.

A car equipped with airbags is considered safe. Much depends on the generation of the security system. Older systems are slower.