Challenges in Evaluating Airbag Control Unit Performance

Numerous Accidents with air bag equipped cars have been investigated resulting in a question whether the air bag had deployed or not. This question was based on the pictures of the damaged cars and results of accident reconstruction. In the past, sometimes the change of velocity of the car in a crash was directly determined on the basis of damage of the car. The damage and the velocity of the vehicle during accident do not necessarily correlate with regard to air bag deployment. The quality of accident analysis and reconstruction has a significant affect on the interpretation of accident event and it’s consequences. The decision whether the air bag should deploy or not in the real world accident can not be understood without in-depth knowledge of significant physical parameters monitored by the control unit. The key issues relating to the air bag deployment decision in an accident and the design of air bag control unit are described. The fundamental and comprehensive over view of complex air bag technology was explained to enhance the quality of accident reconstruction to avoid the misguided expectations of consumer.