Airbags are a major safety element in modern motor vehicles, designed to save lives and protect the passengers when a crash happens.
Airbags need to be deployed fast and precisely at the moment of the collision, and sophisticated sensors measure the severity of the crash.
Depending on the value they receive on the impact or collision, those sensors start the system using a deploying bag. We are going to discuss at what speed do airbags deploy.
Topic Summary
- What Speed Do Airbags Deploy?
- How Do Airbags Deploy So Quickly?
- How Do Airbags Work?
- At What Speed Do Side Curtain Airbags Deploy?
- At What Speed Do Airbags Deploy in a Crash From the Rear?
- How Do Airbags Know When To Deploy?
- What Should You Do If Your Airbags Didn’t Deploy?
- FAQs on What Speed Do Airbags Deploy
What Speed Do Airbags Deploy?
Airbags are designed to inflate in 20 to 30 milliseconds. This works out to around 0.02 to 0.03 seconds. One reason they inflate so quickly is that the bag had better be fully blown up by the time you hit it.
For example, the whole sequence of deployment, from making contact with the occupant all the way through to when the airbag is fully inflated, takes no more than a second.
A quick inflation makes all the difference. The airbag needs to inflate quickly in order to effectively ‘tame’ the impact, shielding the occupant from the brunt of a collision and reducing the potential for serious injury.
How Do Airbags Deploy So Quickly?
The deployment type and speed of the airbag are in part because it depends on an intricate system. An intricate system consisting of an inflator mechanism.
Upon detection of a collision, sensors transmit their information toward the airbag control module. The airbag control module now has the information that was transmitted by the sensors.
Using that information, the airbag control module triggers an inflator, thus inflating the airbag at a rapid pace.
The inflator typically contains a pyrotechnic propellant that, upon ignition, generates a large volume of gas almost instantaneously to inflate the airbag at a high speed.
The process is tightly controlled to effectuate the optimal deployment of the airbag to preserve occupants.
The Role of Sensors
Cars today are built with many sensors that detect the level of impact, how the passengers are positioned in relation to one another, the direction of the collision, and, at that time, the gas for the airbag perfectly.
The vehicle’s airbag precrash system uses data collected with these sensors to finalize real time (and ongoing) deployment decisions based upon which the airbag should perform best for the given collision.
How Do Airbags Work?
Airbags are indispensable safety gear needed to protect occupants of a vehicle during a collision. The following is a breakdown of their functioning.
1. Detection
Sensors in and around the vehicle detect a crash (typically relating to a sudden deceleration). The sensors record either the impact force or the acceleration of the vehicle as a result of the crash.
2. Activation
If a large impact is detected, the sensors send a signal to the airbag control module.
3. Inflation
After a delay, the control module sends a signal to trigger the inflator. This inflator contains a chemical propellant that rapidly heats and expands to fill the airbag to full size in 20 to 30 milliseconds (0.02 to 0.03 of a second).
4. Cushioning
The inflated airbag protects the occupant from hard surfaces by gliding between the steering wheel or dashboard and part of the occupant’s body, thereby reducing the risk of injury.
5. Deflation
After the initial explosion, the airbag deflates through vents and distributes the gas along with the occupant.
This rapid and precise deployment helps protect occupants from severe injuries during a crash.
At What Speed Do Side Curtain Airbags Deploy?
Side curtain airbags are used in side impact crashes and rollovers. They deploy at the same time as front airbags.
Usually within 20 to 30 milliseconds (0.02 to 0.03 of a second) after sensors detect a collision. Sensors activate the inflation system via high voltage signals that induce an electrical arc between two terminals.
The arc, in turn, heats a gas inside the airbag to approximately 300°C (572°F) in just a few milliseconds and causes the bag to expand up to 30 times its original size.
All this happens so quickly that airbags appear to instantly inflate. Side curtain airbags are designed to fill the space between the occupant and the side window or an intruding object.
Sensors installed in various parts of the car monitor the magnitude of the impact, and if it’s a mid or rear side impact, they send a signal to the airbag control module, which in turn gives the green light to the inflator to fill the airbag with gas.
Side curtains are in the roof area and open out to cover side windows in order to protect the occupants’ heads and upper bodies.
Because of the speed at which they are deployed, they’re fully inflated by the time of impact and so offer the best protection in the event of side impacts or rollovers.
At What Speed Do Airbags Deploy in a Crash From the Rear?
Airbags are designed to deploy in frontal and side impacts because these are more likely in bad crashes. It’s less likely that airbags will deploy when you are rear ended.
Most cars aren’t equipped with rear airbags, and that’s for good reason. These kinds of crashes aren’t as risky to occupants as low or high speed side or front on crashes.
However, if a vehicle does have rear airbags, they will deploy only when sensors determine the impact is severe enough.
Their deployment speed will be similar to that of the front airbags and side airbags within 20 to 30 milliseconds (0.02 to 0.03 seconds) after impact. Deployment occurs fast to provide protection when needed.
Check your vehicle’s manual or its manufacturer for information on airbag configurations and deployment criteria.
How Do Airbags Know When To Deploy?
Airbags inflate as a result of signals sent in from sensors all over the vehicle. These sensors are installed in different places, ranging from the front bumper to the sides of the vehicle.
Some are even incorporated into the steering wheel. The sensors collect information about changes in acceleration and impact forces when a vehicle collides with another and send it during an actual collision to the airbag control module.
The control module interprets the data to decide if the crash is of the right severity and requires the airbags to deploy.
If so, the pressure from the inflator is released to rapidly fill the airbag with gas. The opening time is as short as possible in order to inflate the bag by the time the occupant actually makes contact.
This precise calibration of the system means that the airbag will deploy only in moderate to severe crashes, not in every minor collision.
What Should You Do If Your Airbags Didn’t Deploy?
If you are injured in a collision and the airbag fails to deploy, these are the instructions.
Get Medical Attention First: Only after receiving medical attention should you pursue compensation for your injuries through legal means.
This is an important point as it ensures that your injuries are diagnosed and cared for and that you have tangible evidence in case the matter ends up in court.
Document the Incident: Write down everything about the crash, like the car’s condition, as well as where the safety features may have failed. Try and take photos, too.
Notify someone: Talk to your car’s manufacturer or dealer about your airbag failure. The company will likely launch an investigation or recall the vehicle if an error is detected.
Talk To a Lawyer: Your rights to compensatory damages could depend on the facts of the failure, so talk to an attorney with experience in automotive or personal injury law.
Your rights will certainly be very different if the failure was a manufacturing defect or the result of negligence than if it was the outcome of ordinary wear and tear or your neglect in caring for the car.
Make a Claim: If possible, file an insurance claim to recover medical costs or other damages stemming from a failure in an airbag.
FAQs on What Speed Do Airbags Deploy
How Quickly Do Airbags Deploy in a Collision?
But this means that an airbag is typically inflated within 20 to 30 milliseconds (1/50th to 1/30th of a second) once a crash is determined. If this isn’t fast enough, the occupant will contact the airbag while it is still inflating.
What Triggers the Airbag To Deploy?
When an airbag is deployed, a sensor in the vehicle detects a collision or impact. It sends a signal to the airbag control module that initiates the inflator mechanism to deploy the airbag.
Why is the Speed of Airbag Deployment So Important?
This is necessary because the faster the speed of deployment, the faster the airbags will inflate, which means the occupant will be cushioned during the collision, which reduces the chances of injury. If the airbags are deployed too slowly, then there might not be any cushioning effect.
How Does the Airbag Inflation Process Work?
On board sensors detect the collision, and its impending arrival triggers the airbag’s inflator, a canister filled with a chemical fuel. Inside, a tiny metal cylinder bursts, rapidly producing gas that causes the airbag to fill in a fraction of a second. From the time of the crash to full inflation, it takes less than a second.
Can Airbags Be Deployed in Minor Accidents?
Airbags are designed to deploy only in moderate to severe collisions. They will not deploy if the impact is too minor. The system is programmed to deploy the airbag after the sensor detects the proper impact to protect the occupants from an impact severe enough to warrant deployment.
Conclusion
Airbags inflate in less than a millisecond, and deploying them so quickly means that passengers are cushioned and less likely to be seriously hurt during an accident.
So, airbag deployment represents an important engineering achievement. We travel at very high speeds, and the technology that saves our lives comes down to milliseconds.