See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/339500056

Airbags for Safety System in Automobile Engineering

Article · February 2020

CITATION READS

1 18,989

1 author:

Kartik Bhasin
HMR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
2 PUBLICATIONS 9 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Kartik Bhasin on 26 February 2020.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

International Journal of Automobile Engineering
Research and Development (IJAuERD)
ISSN (P): 2277–4785; ISSN (E): 2278–9413
Vol. 10, Issue 1, Jun 2020, 1–6
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

AIRBAGS FOR SAFETY SYSTEM IN AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING

KARTIK BHASIN
Student, Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, HMR Institute of Technology & Management,
Hamidpur, New Delhi, India
ABSTRACT

In the modern epoch, airbags are almost present in every car. In order to mitigate the injuries due to car accidents,
a variety of airbags are used. By making use of various types of airbags, road car accidents tend to decrease. An
airbag is employed to prevent the major injuries that are caused by the automobile collision. The airbag will
automatically inflate in less than a second in the event of a collision. Most of the airbags can be used only once. The
main objective of the paper is to discuss numerous types of airbags with their functions and applications.

KEYWORDS: History, Materials Used, Working, Types & Future Scope

Received: Dec 24, 2019; Accepted: Jan 14, 2020; Published: Feb 13, 2020; Paper Id.: IJAuERDJUN20201

INTRODUCTION

Original Article
Airbags are a type of car safety device that expand when an automobile experiences a collision, offering a cushion
of air that prevents an individual from bashing their face on the steering wheel or dashboard. Airbags are commonly
fitted in the front seats. The car in which one airbag is present is only to guard the driver, whereas the car in which
two airbags are present, one for the driver and the other for the passenger. A side airbag inflates from the side of a
car and provides safety to the side of the body. A curtain airbag protects passengers from the head level. Moreover,
side and curtain airbags can additionally be fitted in the rear.

HISTORY

The airbag traces its beginning to air-filled bladders, outlined as early as 1941 and first patented in the 1950s. Early
airbag systems were giant and bulky, mainly using tanks of compressed or heated air.

One of the primary patents for automobile airbags was awarded to Industrial Engineer, John Hetrick on
August 18, 1953. After an accident in 1952, Hetrick planned an airbag, which involves a tank of compressed air
beneath the hood and inflatable bags on the steering wheel, in the center of the dashboard and in the glove
compartment to guard front-seat occupants and on the back of the front seat to guard rear-seat passengers. Many
other inventors and researchers followed suit, all exploring barely unique designs so that the actual technical path
from the early designs to the current system is not possible to notice with certainty.

Since the 1960s, airbag-equipped cars in controlled tests and daily use have confirmed effectiveness and
reliability. The study has been found by using data from 1985 to 1991 and concluded that driver fatalities in frontal
collisions were decreased by 32% in automobiles outfitted with airbags.

www.tjprc.org [email protected]
2 Kartik Bhasin

Figure 1

MATERIALS USED IN AIRBAGS

Airbags can be made up of nylon and polyesters. The property of the nylon differs from range to the range, as nylon 6.6 is
better than different types of nylon in thermal properties. The fabrics which have high elongation, have massive pliability,
have a proper resistance to ultraviolet lights and have excessive strength must be recommended.

WORKING OF AIRBAGS

Airbag systems usually consist of multiple sensors, a control module and one airbag. The sensors are placed in positions
that are possible to be compromised in the event of an accident, information from accelerometers, wheel speed sensors and
different sources can also be monitored by the airbag control unit. If particular conditions are detected, the control unit is
capable of activating the airbags.

Figure 2

Each person’s airbag is deflated and packed into a compartment that is located in the dash, steering wheel, seat, or
elsewhere. They also include chemical propellants and initiator units that are capable of igniting the propellants.

When predetermined prerequisites are detected by a control unit, it is capable of sending a signal to prompt one or
more initiator devices. The chemical propellants are then ignited, which swiftly fills the airbags with nitrogen gas.

Impact Factor (JCC): 7.6093 NAAS Rating: 3.05

Airbags for Safety System in Automobile Engineering 3

Figure 3

Once the airbag has been deployed, then it has to be replaced, as these are single-use devices.

TYPES OF AIRBAGS

In the modern era, researchers have developed multiple types of airbags by focusing on the passenger safety to protect the
major parts of the body when the accident occurs.

There are various types of airbags, which are used in modern automobiles to provide protection. These are as
follows:

• Side Airbags

These are provided on both sides of the front and rear of the seats to protect the passenger’s pelvis.

• Frontal Airbags

These are present at the steering wheel and on the dashboard to protect from the injuries on head and chest during
the accident.

Knee Airbags

These are present under the steering system to protect the driver’s knee from the jerk that will be caused by an
accident.

• Curtain Airbags

As the name implies, these airbags will act as a curtain during the accident.

• Seat belt Airbags

These airbags provide safety to back seat passengers.

• Hood Airbags

These airbags are recently developed by Volvo Company and are present at the base of the windshield in order to
guard the pedestrian’s head when the collision occurs.

www.tjprc.org [email protected]
4 Kartik Bhasin

Figure 4

FUTURE SCOPE

The future airbags will be more economical, lighter in weight, involve compact integrated systems and will use smart
sensors. The effectiveness of an airbag relies on its sensors, recognizing if a crash is extreme enough to set off a
deployment, a device ought to be exactly tuned to the way a particular car model behaves in a crash. As fatality rates from
car accidents are decreasing every year, we must state that airbags act as a lifesaver. Moreover, there is an advancement,
which needs to be seen in the airbag systems in the future.

CONCLUSIONS

The aim of airbags is to guard the driver and passengers when any collision or accidental incident occurs. As we have seen,
there have been astonishing developments in the field of the safety system in an automobile. Many manufacturing firms are
specifically working on the advancement of the airbag systems in order to provide an apex level of safety to the occupants.

REFERENCES

1. Sharma, S. Sharma and M. Chhabra (2017). Recent Developments in Airbags for Passenger Safety in Automobile
Engineering. International Journal of Research in Advent Technology (IJRAT), Vol-5, Issue-3, pp. 80-83.

2. Brain, M. (2000, April 1). How Airbags Work. Retrieved September 29, 2019, from How Stuff Works:
https://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-driving-safety/safety-regulatory-devices/airbag1.htm

3. How Products are Made. (2006, January 28). Air Bag. Retrieved September 24, 2019, from Madehow:
http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Air-Bag.html

4. Laukkonen, J. (2018, August 9). What Are Airbags? Retrieved September 27, 2019, from Lifewire:
https://www.lifewire.com/what-are-airbags-534821

Impact Factor (JCC): 7.6093 NAAS Rating: 3.05

Airbags for Safety System in Automobile Engineering 5

5. PRIVATE FLEET CAR BUYING MADE EASY. (2011, July 31). What is Airbags? Retrieved October 9, 2019, from Private
fleet: https://www.privatefleet.com.au/glossary/what-is-airbags/

6. Montoya, R. (2015, April 29). The Future of Car Airbags. Retrieved October 21, 2019, from Edmunds:
https://www.edmunds.com/car-safety/the-future-of-car-airbags.html

AUTHOR’S PROFILE

Kartik Bhasin is currently pursuing B.Tech. (Mechanical and Automation Engineering) in HMR Institute of Technology
and Management affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi. He solely contributed to publishing
an article in an international journal. He is also amongst the top 10 rank holders in the college academics, won the general
championship of athletic tournaments at school level and actively participated in various government quizzes & activities.

www.tjprc.org [email protected]
View publication stats