COIMBATORE INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Department of Mechatronics Engg

Seminar on Emerging Trends(SET)

Manoj kumar K
710513115018
IV/Mechatronics
Topic: Safety Air Bags in Cars

What are Airbags?

Supplementary Restraint System for driver and/or
passenger safety in case of a crash.
Basic Mechanism: A thin nylon bag in the steering
wheel / above glove compartment inflates in the event of
an impact and prevents the driver/passenger from hitting
the steering wheel/dashboard.
3 Main Components:
1) Airbag module
2) Diagnostic Unit
3) Crash sensors

Airbag Module

Contains both inflator unit and light-weight fabric airbag and is

located either inside: 1) Steering wheel hub
2) Above glove
compartment
3) Near side compartment (as
separate/combined
head/side/window-curtain airbag)
Airbag: Thin nylon fabric bag folded neatly into steering wheel that
inflates to the size of a large beach ball on impact.
Inflator unit: Contains a number of sodium azide pellets which are
electrically ignited to produce N2 that then fills the airbag. This is
preferred to storing compressed gas in the unit (space, durability)
Both airbag and inflator unit are for single deployment only ie have
to be replaced after a crash

Diagnostic Unit

Enables inflator unit and sensors when vehicle is turned on, performs
self check.
Constantly monitors airbag readiness and indicates malfunctioning
through an indicator on dashboard
Usually stores electricity to activate airbag in the event that a crash
damages the battery / link to battery

Sensors

Several crash sensors located in the front of vehicle and in the

passenger compartment
Each senses the sudden deceleration or impact in the event of a crash
and flips a mechanical switch to indicate a crash.

Airbag Deployment

Frontal crash scenario: Car crashes into an

obstacle (wall) at 20+ mph
Sensors detect the deceleration and inflator
unit activated
Deployment sensitivity: To guard against
accidental inflation on hard braking, sensors
detect collisions into a solid barrier at speeds greater than 8-14 mph
only as impacts
An electric current is used to heat a filament wire that ignites the NaN 3
capsules, producing N2:
2NaN3 2Na + 3N2
10Na + 2KNO3 K2O + 5Na2O+ N2
K2O + Na2O SiO2 alkaline glass (safe, unignitable)
130 g of NaN3 produces 67 ltrs of Na

Airbag Deployment

The airbag then inflates fully at speeds > 320mph within 0.05s of crash.
For maximum safety, occupant must have seat belt on and sit with chest
10 from steering wheel
Immediately after full inflation, the airbag deflates through tiny pores on
the surface within 0.3s

Accelerometer

Additional Features

An on/off switch
Combination with seat-belt pre-tensioners and other safety
systems
Inflation in the event of fire (high temp.) to prevent
explosion of solid compound
Depowering and differential powering
Small rapid deployment airbags for side impact at roof-rail
or door or seat back.
eg: 1) Beltline Head/Torso Side Airbag 2) Inflatable
Tubular Structure

Electromechanical Crash Sensors

Fluid pressure based weight sensors

Smart Restraint System

Is one that adapts its geometry,

performance or behavior to suit
varying impact types and/or
occupants & occ. posns.
Must be able to distinguish
between:

RFIS & child seat

Child
Adult
Empty
Subsets of possible seating
posns. for above (< / >10)
Belted / non-belted
Crash severity
Crash direction

ie, a smart restraint system must

be able to update itself on the
following:
Occ. characterisation
Occ. location

Accordingly decides:
Which airbags to deploy when
Full blown / supressed
Seat belt pre-tensioning,
retraction/collapse of parts
Direction of deployment
Sequencing & Timing
Post deployment action

Smart Restraints

Detection types:
mechanical
spatial
other

Passive Infra-red
Video systems
Biometric sensing

Means of detection:
Weight & distribution (3)
Seat belt (webbing , rotation
ctr & buckle)
Active Infra-red (OOP sense)
Ultrasonic
Radar/Microwave
Capacitive
tags for RFIS & smart keys
Height sensors in seat / belt

Advance meth. (complex, high

computing power reqd.)

Systems must:
Sequence & time appropriately
Extremely reliable
Work within varying auto
interior atmosphere and
lighting
Differentiate camouflage
Low cost

Smart Restraints

Components
Side/Variable/dual-stage
airbags
Seat-belt pre-tensioners
Side/Central/Satellite/Safing
crash sensors
Occupant sensors
Central ECU
Pre-crash sensors

Driving states:

Normal
Collision avoidable
Collision imminent
Post-crash

Sensor types:

Electromechanical
Accelerometers
Pressure
Stress-wave
Pre-crash

Pre-crash sensing
More details reqd from sensors
Advantage: Enables early
decision and pre-tensioning
Disadv: imprecise object
classification & cost
Same sensors as those for ACC,
CW/CA