Airbags / SRS / Air Bag

AvtoAd

24/03/2019
Airbags / SRS / Air Bag

Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) or “Air-Bag”.


This system is considered a passive safety device, which means that it does not require any actions from the driver and passengers of the car to turn it on and will work automatically if necessary.


Air bags are intended to be used as a supplement to seat belts. Most injuries caused by airbags are due to the fact that the seat belts were not fastened when the airbag deployed. The first design of airbags was developed in 1952 by a former technological engineer, American John Hetrick. Car airbags went into operation in the early 1970s, having gone through a number of changes and improvements. Although they gained real popularity after mass production in the 90s.


The basic design concept is quite simple, there is a central airbag control unit that monitors a number of relevant sensors in the middle of the vehicle. These sensors include accelerometers, shock sensors, pressure sensors, side doors, and seat occupancy sensors. When the required "threshold" has been reached or exceeded, the airbag control unit will trigger the ignition of the propellant gas generator by rapidly inflating the airbag. The time required for the airbag to fully deploy is approximately 0.03 seconds. In the event of a collision, the passenger of the vehicle squeezes the bag and the gas escapes in a controlled manner through small vents. The size of the airbag and the size of the hole in the air bag are adapted to different types of cars.


Over the years, this basic system has become more complex. Initiating algorithms are used to reduce deployment when they are not needed. Signals from various sensors are sent to the airbag control unit, which determine the vehicle's speed, the angle and severity of the impact, or the force of the crash, along with other variables. Depending on the results of these calculations, the airbag control unit may also deploy additional restraint devices, such as seat belt pre-tensioners and other additional airbags.


Many new cars have side airbags to protect the driver and passengers of the car from a side impact. Some newer vehicles also have SRS curtains that drop down to protect occupants from broken glass.
When the vehicle is first started, the SRS service light should illuminate for 1 to 5 seconds while the system goes through a self-test sequence. If the light goes out, then the system is working and ready to work, namely, to save your life. If the indicator lights up, the malfunction is somewhere in the SRS system. The system is currently disabled or is not fully operational. This means that the airbags may not deploy in the event of an accident. In such cases, you need to contact qualified specialists! It can save the life of you and your loved ones!


Another caveat, insurance companies may not pay all medical bills from an accident if they determine the airbag system was disabled due to a malfunction. Not everyone knows that the SRS system contains a "black box". It records not only crash data such as speed, "G" forces, whether seat belts were fastened, etc., but also how long the SRS system was disabled due to a malfunction. If the insurance company determines that the SRS system was in emergency mode for an extended period of time, they will not want to cover all the costs, especially if they determine that a working airbag system would have prevented the injuries.

 

When buying a car, you need to make sure that the SRS safety system is really working in the car. Often, the so-called "repurchases" deceive the system in various ways in order to hide faulty, fired cushions. Be sure to contact the service and make sure that the system is in order, and all the nodes of the system are in place! The signs for which you need to check the system are usually simple. A leather-covered panel that is not provided by the manufacturer, the driver's airbag painted with paint, poorly functioning seat belts, i.e. they get stuck or do not go back after unfastening, any signs of a car accident, torn parts of the interior of the cabin, which are the side parts of the seats, the ceiling on the edges in the places of handles for holding, often deformed door upholstery (door cards), or in general the absence of an indication of the serviceability of the SRS system, AirBag, the so-called "pregnant woman" icon.


And let's remind you, once again, the SRS system does not replace the need to fasten seat belts. This is an additional system! So be responsible drivers, buckle up and buckle up your passengers.


Keep yourselves!
Sincerely, the AvtoAd team.