Airbag Triggering Safety System

Air Bags Triggering Safety System

If the safety system detects a crash of sufficient severity, the airbags are triggered.

Brief description of components
With maximum vehicle equipment level, the following airbags are installed:
- Driver airbag
- Passenger airbag
- Thorax airbags
- Head airbags
- Front knee airbags (country version USA)

Airbag module
An airbag module consists of a priming cap, generator and airbag.

Priming caps
The priming cap trigger the airbags.

The priming caps consist of, for example, a glass-metal base through which two pins pass. These pins are connected inside the glass-metal base by a resistor wire surrounded by an explosive (primary charge).

The priming caps receive an electrical impulse from the relevant control modules (satellites). The electrical impulse heats the resistance wire inside the priming cap. This heat ignites the explosive.

Airbag generators
There are two types of generator
- The primary charge of the priming cap ignites the secondary charge in the generator. The secondary charge creates the gas that fills the airbag.
- The generator contains compressed gas. The ignited primary charge of the priming cap shoots through a membrane, enabling the compressed gas to flow into the airbag

The type of airbag generator that triggers the airbag is not relevant to proper functioning.

Airbag
There are two types of airbag:
- Airbags that deflate again relatively quickly, such as the driver airbag, passenger airbag, thorax airbags and knee airbag. The deflation provides a shock-absorbing function.
- Airbags that remain full such as the head air bags.

The airbags that deflate slow down the motion of the vehicle occupants and, after a certain time, yield to it.

Airbags that remain full have a static support function.

Driver / passenger airbag, stages 1 and 2
The driver airbag in the steering wheel and the passenger airbag in the dashboard are each triggered by means of two priming caps in two "stages". Both stages are ignited in all cases. The faster the two ignitions succeed one another, the faster the airbag is filled.

Thorax airbags
The thorax airbags are fitted in the door trims and protect the occupants against injury in the torso area in the case of a side-on crash. The thorax airbags deflate relatively quickly, which optimises their shock-absorbing function.

Head airbags
The head airbag prevents the head from swinging outwards. This leads to less severe neck backlash forces and less severe head injuries. There is also improved protection against glass splinters and entering objects. Depending on the equipment and vehicle type, the head airbag
- is secured between the A-pillar and the B-pillar,
- is secured between the A-pillar and the C-pillar,
No head airbags are fitted in the convertible!

Service functions

Notes on safety
In all cases, only perform work on the fuel pump with the ignition off!

All work on the airbags must be carried out with the battery disconnected!

Connect and disconnect all BYTEFLIGHT control modules, sensors and generators only with the battery disconnected!

If a fibre-optic cable on the BYTEFLIGHT bus has to be repaired, it must be borne in mind that there may only be one join in a fibre-optic cable. If there is already a join due to a door connector, the fibre-optic cable must not be repaired. In the case of a defect, the fibre-optic cable must be replaced!

Country-specific version

USA
Knee airbag In the event of an accident, the knee airbags support the knee, especially if the driver or passenger are not wearing Seatbelts. The support of the knee initiates a controlled forward shift of the upper body, which is cushioned by the driver or passenger airbag.