Restraint Performance of the 1973-76 GM Air Cushion Restraint System

Case reviews are given of deployment accidents of the GM 1973-76 air cushion restraint system where the occupant injury was AIS 3 or greater. Many of these injuries occurred in frontal accidents of minor to moderate collision severity where there was no intrusion or distortion of the occupant compartment. Dummy and animal test results are noted that indicate that these types of injuries could have occurred if the occupant was near the air cushion module at the time of cushion deployment. An analysis is given that indicates that for frontal accidents a restraint effectiveness of 50 percent in mitigating AIS 3 or greater injuries might be achieved if an air cushion system can be designed which would not seriously injure out-of-position occupants while still providing restraint for normally seated occupants.