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From: seeker@indirect.com (Stan Eker)
Subject: Re: air bag accelerometers
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Date: Fri, 2 Jun 1995 09:02:46 GMT
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Mark Weil (weil@bigdog.engr.arizona.edu) left with:
: eric schonning (hbcsc388@huey.csun.edu) wrote:

: My guess is that these accelerometers are a threshold type device--that
: is, they trigger the airbag at a preset de-acceleration value.  Other than
: that, the only experience i've had with the airbag is having one deploy in
: my face for a minor front collision.  Don't try this at home. 

: In addition, the self inflating restraint, (SIR's) are expensive, and are
: probably extracted for replacement parts long before they get to the junk
: yard.  I could be wrong about this.  Can anyone correct me? 

Based on an industry spokesman's reply to one of the national newsies, they
*are* a threshold device.  The newsie was checking to find out why a whole
bunch of goddamn expensive airbags failed to actuate in >40mph collisions,
and the spokesman fobbed it off with: `it's only meant for low speed impacts,
and the sensor doesn't register at the higher impact range'.

Gee, if *I* had spent a wad of cash for the `feature', I'd sure as hell
expect it to inflate if some drunken SOB drifted across the center-line
right into me.  Seems to me, it's nearly useless at low impact speeds, and
you're more likely to bounce your face off the windshield at >40mph crashes.

The explosive squib is probably *required*by*law* to be removed before the
car gets to the junk yard, as it'd be dangerous in the hands of just about
anyone.  Anyone that doesn't have explosives training, that is.

