Little known interesting facts about car airbags
Airbags are an important safety feature installed on every car model. There are interesting stories surrounding this feature that not everyone knows.
The airbag invented by John W. Hetrick was first patented in 1952 in the United States. However, it was not until nearly 20 years later that this equipment was installed in cars.
The Porsche 944 Turbo was the first car to feature dual airbags as standard, back in 1987.
 |
| The 1972 Mercury Monterey was the first car to feature a front passenger airbag. |
Auto News recorded the first collision between two cars equipped with airbags, both Chrysler Lebarons. Both drivers survived the accident.
In 1970, airbags manufactured by General Motors were tested on the Chevrolet Impala by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. GM's airbags were found to be so durable that even when other parts of the car deteriorated, the airbags remained in perfect condition.
Sales of GM and Ford airbag-equipped vehicles in the 1970s fell short of expectations. By 1977, GM was forced to stop production of these airbags and called on the US government to stop standardizing airbags on the grounds that they were impractical and inappropriate.
GM has introduced another type of airbag that is located in the inside seat side, to help prevent the occupant from hitting their head against the center armrest in a side impact.
The steering wheel on the Citroen C4 is quite unique in that only the rim rotates according to the driver's control, while the center remains the same. This design allows Citroen to mount an airbag that fits the size of the upper body of a person, similar to the shape of an upside-down egg.
|
| Inverted egg-shaped airbag layout on the Citroen C4. |
The airbag must deploy very quickly (about 1/20 second) and strongly to prevent the occupant's head from hitting the steering wheel in the event of a collision.
However, the force of the airbag can also cause death because the distance between the face and the airbag is too close when it first deploys. Therefore, it is imperative that the airbag deploys as quickly as possible and fully deploys before the driver's head approaches the steering wheel.