Create a new account

It's simple, and free.

Air Bags

Safety in the automobile is an issue that automakers face only when they have to. With rare exceptions, car manufacturers do not take the initiative in including safety equipment because they argue that doing so increases the costs of cars and decreases their market share. Automakers argued against the requirement that seat belts be standard equipment for these reasons, and argued against including air bags for the same reasons. Yet air bags have become commonplace in automobiles, and are likely to be standard equipment in most cars before the end of the century. In addition to systems which help minimize injuries in front impact collisions, air bags are being developed which can minimize injury in side impact collisions and even keep freight protected. This research examines how air bags work and how they have been implemented, the role of government and the automotive industry in their implementation, the political and legal issues associated with air bags, economic considerations, and what is likely to happen in this area in the future.

Although the term "air bag" is used in normal conversation, the regulatory agencies and vehicle manufacturers tend to call it a "supplemental restraint system" (SRS) or "supplemental inflatable restraint" system (SIR) in most written references. This terminology, particularly the use of the term "supplemental" reinforces the idea that air bags are intended to be used in conjunction with other restraint systems, such as seat belts and lap harnesses.

The supplemental restraint system typically consists of the air bag and its deployment mechanism, one or more impact sensors (usually located at the front of the vehicle on or around the radiator supports), an arming sensor that may be under the hood or behind the dash, and an electronic control unit. The driver's side air bag inflator module containing the air bag itself is located in the steering wheel. Passenger air bag inflator modules a...

Page 1 of 10 Next >

More on Air Bags...

Loading...
APA     MLA     Chicago
Air Bags. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 14:56, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1706509.html