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Automotive industry's focus on active safety technologies―such
as antilock-braking system (ABS), electronic stability control
(ESC) and traction control system (TCS)―has increased significantly
in the past two decades. Automakers are also offering new vehicles
with rising number of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS)
such as adaptive cruise control (ACC), lane departure warning
(LDW), blind spot detection (BSD) and automatic emergency braking
(AEB), which help drivers in reducing the possibility of accidents.
Some of these technologies, such as AEB, can even take corrective
action like applying brakes if the driver fails to respond in time
to avoid accidents.
While active safety systems and ADAS can help reduce accidents,
they cannot completely eliminate the possibility of accidents. In
an event when accidents are unavoidable, passive safety systems
such as airbags and seatbelts continue to play a vital role in
reducing the impact of such accidents. Being a passive safety
technology, airbags spring into action as soon as a vehicle's
sensors detect an accident, reducing occupant injuries and saving
lives. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) data, frontal airbags saved 50,457 lives in
the United States between 1987 and 2017. Globally, the contribution
of airbags to saving lives and reducing injuries after accidents
will be several times more.
Over the years, the number of airbags per vehicle has gone up
significantly; many mass market models now come equipped with six
airbags as standard. Some automakers are equipping their select
model vehicles with even more airbags as part of their strategy to
improve occupant safety. Apart from widely used driver-side airbags
and passenger-side airbags, some modern vehicles feature knee
airbags, side airbags, curtain side airbags, center airbags, rear
curtain airbags and seat cushion airbags. Some suppliers are now
developing external airbags which will deploy outside the vehicle.
Last year, ZF presented a prototype of its pre-crash external side
airbag that can deploy before a collision. The German OEM claimed
its new airbag can help reduce occupant injury severity for side
impact collisions by up to 40%.
Higher global light vehicle production, regulations and safety
rating mechanisms like the New Car Assessment Program (NCAP),
continue to drive demand for airbag modules. IHS Markit forecasts
linear growth in demand for airbag modules over the next six years,
from 413.8 million in 2019 to 478 million in 2025, at a CAGR of
2.4%.
Airbags in autonomous vehicles
Airbags, together with seatbelts, have worked effectively when
occupants in a vehicle sit in a forward-facing upright position.
However, this is set to change in automated driving vehicles.
Autonomous driving aims to reduce or completely eliminate a human
driver's role in driving a vehicle in order to drastically reduce
accidents. Vehicles, featuring SAE Level 3+ automated driving
capability, will be able to take control of driving, allowing
drivers to spend their time in other activities, such as talking to
other occupants, listening to song, podcasts or watching videos.
When not driving, the drivers may relax by reclining their seats or
talking to fellow passengers by swiveling their seat. In fully
autonomous (Level 5) vehicles, self-driving system will take full
control of driving.
Autonomous driving is expected to herald new use cases for
vehicle interior, including the seating layout, which has remained
the same for many decades. The higher the level of automation, the
greater the likelihood of unusual interior concept and seat
configuration. However, any change in the current seating
arrangement in a vehicle will require a higher level of occupant
safety. For example, in a highly automated vehicle, a conventional
steering wheel airbag may not be that effective if the driver has
turned his seat by, say 90%, to talk to a co-passenger. The same
also applies to autonomous vehicles, where the steering wheel folds
away in autonomous driving mode or where there is no steering
wheel.
Airbag suppliers are bracing themselves for these changes
through intensifying focus on research and new product development.
Autoliv has developed a new protective airbag system called 'Life
Cell' that is designed to protect the occupants without being
impacted by their seating position, including the seat orientation
in proximity to the steering wheel, and the recline angle either
pitched forward or leaning backwards. Once it is fully activated
together with a steering wheel airbag deployment, the Life Cell
airbag resembles a protective cocoon. Life Cell allows for unique
vehicle interior styling configurations while still providing head
protection. Life Cell's design also enables far-side protection for
the occupant and can counteract the velocity impact of free-flying
objects, such as unbuckled backseat occupants or loose items not
secured in the vehicle, from further injuring the driver.
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