Airbags

An airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window. .Some automakers or bag manufacturers are taking things a step further by designing airbag systems that not only change the force that the airbag deploys, but also the size and shape of the airbag. These technology advances are all part of an effort to improve airbag safety and benefits. Like seat belts, the concept of the airbag -- a soft pillow to land against in a crash -- has been around for many years. In the 1980s, the first commercial airbags appeared in automobiles.

Originally envisaged as an alternative to seat belts, airbags are now considered supplemental restraint systems (SRSs). These gas-inflated devices are triggered by sensors inside the car and help protect during impacts, side hits and rollovers.

• Front Seat: Airbags first became common in the 1980s. The first ones were installed for drivers and come out from the steering column. In 1988, Mercedes-Benz introduced the first passenger-side front airbags.
• Side: Side torso or window, airbags cushion both front and rear passengers from the side. Torso airbags are usually in the rear seat and inflate between the passenger and his door; curtain airbags inflate across the window from the roof.
• Knee: Knee airbags help prevent injury to the driver's legs. The first car to have them was the 1996 Kia Sportage ; they still remain rare.
• Rear: Rear curtain airbags cover the back window and rear center airbags cushion passengers from one another during an impact. Sometimes there are separate curtain airbags for front and rear passengers; sometimes one large curtain that runs the full length of the vehicle is installed.
• Motorcycle: Some motorcycles, such as the Honda Goldwing, now have airbags. The first were introduced in 2006. You can also buy motorcycle airbag jackets.

As airbag technology progressed, automakers began to develop methods to reduce the deployment power of airbags based on the size of the occupant. The rising number of airbags in a car makes the potential for a defect much greater. Some major issues with airbags include:

• Failure to deploy-this is one of the most common types of product liability lawsuits regarding airbags. In order to be effective, bags must deploy immediately upon forceful contact with another car or stationary object. If the bag is defective, it may deploy after the major part of the wreck or never deploy at all.
• Premature deployment-bags may deploy right before it is needed during a car accident, or in some cases, at a random time while driving. Premature deployment can actually lead to a very serious accident as the driver will likely completely lose control over the car upon deployment.