How does the airbag work?
2 Answers
Working state of the airbag: After the sensor detects a vehicle collision, the airbag quickly inflates with gas to protect the safety of the front passengers and the driver. To enable rapid inflation, the airbag does not use compressed air release but instead employs a chemical reaction to quickly generate a large amount of gas. Introduction: An airbag is a device that inflates to protect occupants before they experience a secondary collision during a crash. As an auxiliary device to the seat belt's occupant restraint system, the airbag is referred to as the airbag system. Composition: The airbag system consists of an integrated airbag module comprising the airbag and the inflator (gas generator), a collision sensor system that detects impacts and sends deployment commands to the airbag module, and wiring harnesses that transmit signals from the sensors.
The working state of airbags is actually quite fascinating, primarily relying on an intelligent system to trigger and protect the safety of drivers and passengers. When a severe collision occurs, sensors such as accelerometers immediately detect the magnitude of the impact force and transmit the signal to the Electronic Control Unit (ECU). The ECU then determines within milliseconds whether the airbag needs to deploy. Subsequently, the chemical substances in the airbag module, such as sodium azide, react to produce a large amount of nitrogen gas, causing the airbag to inflate and expand instantly, acting like a cushion to buffer the impact on the head or chest of the occupants. The entire process, from collision to full airbag deployment, takes less than 0.05 seconds—faster than a blink of an eye. After inflation, the airbag quickly deflates to prevent injuries caused by hard contact. Modern vehicles also feature multi-stage airbags, which may partially inflate in minor collisions and fully deploy in severe ones, working in conjunction with seat belts to reduce secondary injuries. Having studied these technologies, I believe they can truly be lifesaving in critical moments. Remember to regularly check if the sensors are functioning properly, as minor malfunctions can cause the system to fail.
