What Makes An Airbag Inflate; How Does An Airbag Restrain - Chevrolet Corvette Owner's Manual

Frontal airbags (driver and passenger) are not
intended to inflate during vehicle rollovers,
rear impacts, or in many side impacts.
Your vehicle may or may not have side impact
airbags. See Airbag System on page 50 for more
information. Side impact airbags are intended
to inflate in moderate to severe side crashes. A
side impact airbag will inflate if the crash severity
is above the system's designed "threshold
level." The threshold level can vary with specific
vehicle design. Side impact airbags are not
intended to inflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts,
rollovers, or rear impacts. A side impact airbag
is intended to deploy on the side of the vehicle that
is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether
an airbag should have inflated simply because
of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the
repair costs were. For frontal airbags, inflation is
determined by what the vehicle hits, the angle
of the impact, and how quickly the vehicle slows
down in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For
side impact airbags, inflation is determined by the
location and severity of the impact.
What Makes an Airbag Inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the airbag
sensing system detects that the vehicle is
in a crash. The sensing system triggers a release
of gas from the inflator, which inflates the
airbag. The inflator, the airbag and related
hardware are all part of the airbag modules.
Frontal airbag modules are located inside
the steering wheel and instrument panel. For
seating positions with side impact airbags, there
are also airbag modules in the side of the
seatbacks closest to the door.

How Does an Airbag Restrain?

In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the
steering wheel or the instrument panel. In
moderate to severe side collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection provided
by safety belts. Airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the occupant's upper
body, stopping the occupant more gradually.
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