Inflatable Restraint System (Air Bags System) has been getting popular, and most likely will become a MUST in the coming few years in the U.S. marketed passenger cars. However, due to the nature of the product (safety device), the sensitivity of consumer rights, and the attitude of engineers/managers toward the product, the Inflatable Restraint System has not been the most economical product on the market place yet.
The paper reviews the Inflatable Restraint System, the basic function & feature of each sub-systems, the minimum & maximum reliability requirements, the design consideration, the manufacturing plan & control, and the quality plan to assure the integrity of the product. The author also spent some effort to focus on the issues of how to reduce the product cost while enhancing the system reliability & quality.
Due to the limited scope of this paper, the report will only address the passenger car's Inflatable Restraint System.