250 Millionth Airbag Satellite Produced in Germany

Airbags have become both a common sight in modern day vehicles and a required standard feature for the car to meet the safety regulations of the countries in sells in. Millions such safety systems are being manufactured this year, with a great number of them playing their role in saving lives on public roads each year.

The airbags, however, would not be what they are hadn't it been for what the industry calls airbag satellites. These sensors, ten of them, are fitted into each car to measure the deceleration rates and pressure changes in the vehicle caused by the impact. The data they gather is then transmitted to the airbag control unit which takes over.

The 250 millionth such satellite was produced this month by Continental's Chassis & Safety Division in Germany, proving that safety and the way it is now seen in the automotive industry has come a long way since the dark days of the automobile.

Of the 250 million satellites, 31 million acceleration satellites and approximately nine million pressure satellites have been produced in the Regensburg and Ingolstadt sites this year alone. Last month, Continental announced the introduction of a new Crash Impact Sound Sensing technology for airbags.

Unlike usual sensors, which detect changes in acceleration or air pressure, the new one is detecting the structure-borne noise generated in a collision. This should make it some 15 milliseconds faster than its currently manufactured counterparts. It will also be cheaper to manufacture than the sensors currently in production, thanks to its simpler design.