Estimation of Occupant Position from Probability Manifolds of Air Bag Fire-times

This paper outlines a method for estimating the probablistic nature of airbag crash sensor response and its effect on occupant position. Probability surfaces of airbag fire times are constructed for the impact velocities from 0 to 40 mph. These probability surfaces are obtained by using both frontal offset deformable barrier and frontal rigid barrier crash data. Another probability surface of displacement is constructed to estimate the occupant displacement time history before airbag deployment. This probability surface is constructed by using the initial occupant seating position data and the vehicle impact velocity and deceleration data. In addition, the probability of airbag firing at a given crash velocity is estimated from the National Accident Sampling System/Crashworthiness Data System (NASS/CDS), frontal offset and rigid barrier crash data. Finally, a calculus is constructed to estimate the effects of different: fire/no-fire probability, occupant position when the airbag fires, and the number of occupants in contact with the airbag module when it fires. However, it should be mentioned that all work presented in the paper is preliminary and may be modified in the future. (A) For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 492347.