Title: Automotive airbag technology: past, present and future

Authors: Adnan Shaout, Charles A. Mallon

Addresses: Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128, USA. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI 48128, USA

Abstract: Automotive airbag technology was studied from the development of the first airbag to the present driver and passenger side airbag systems as well as the development of the technology that will bring the current automotive airbag system into the century. Today|s airbag system is a passive supplemental restraint that is used to cushion the driver or passenger during frontal impacts. Tomorrow|s airbag system will be a ||smart|| adaptive restraint system that will tailor the airbag to the restraint needs of the occupants as well as performing occupant out-of-position sensing and child seat sensing to disable the airbag when a child seat is present.

Keywords: airbags; adaptive restraint; smart systems; out-of-position; adaptive restraint.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAT.2000.000235

International Journal of Computer Applications in Technology, 2000 Vol.13 No.3/4/5, pp.159-171

Published online: 13 Jul 2003 *

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