Automotive airbag sensors, also known as crash sensors, are part of the safety inculcated into the vehicle to protect the passenger’s chest and head from being hurt during collision or crash. Although these airbag sensors are located all over the vehicle, they are prominently present in the front to detect the frontal collision. They are also installed in the side column to detect a side impact. Airbag sensors trigger the airbag to go off whenever it detects a collision. The sensors relay signals to the airbag control unit, which analyzes the data and can orchestrate safety features, such as automatic door locks, seat belt lock, as well as airbag deployment.
There as two types of automotive airbag sensors, such as mechanical and electrical. Airbag sensors are used to detect a crash or collision and engage the airbags. Modern vehicles have multiple sensors. Airbag systems are designed to automatically deploy the airbag when they sense that there is an intrusion in the driver's side of the car. As an airbag is of great importance if it properly springs to action soon after a crash, all airbag sensors should be capable of deploying the airbag very quickly in times of an accident. The location of airbag sensors in a car is also crucial because this will dictate the speed of the airbag at the time of a crash.
An ideal automotive airbag sensors would have a very fast deployment rate of airbags, but unfortunately, such system is not available in most cars today. However, number of safety precautions have been introduced in the vehicles to reduce the number of casualties caused in an accident. Airbag sensors can help prevent fatal and serious injuries in case of accident. Thus, with the increasing concerns about vehicle safety, the demand for automotive airbag sensors is also increasing with a rapid pace. Airbags are an important part of the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) in most vehicles.
Moreover, airbags are passive safety devices that are mandatory on all vehicles sold in the United States. Thus, with the increasing sales of vehicles, the demand for automotive airbag sensors is also increasing rapidly, especially in the U.S.
