Side Impact Collisions – Special ChallengesAutomakers and government safety agencies have been working for years to better understand the risks of side-impact collisions, the second leading cause of death and injury in the United States after frontal crashes.
DuPont was a pioneer in the airbag industry, and has been working side-by-side with our customers on newer airbag systems such as curtain, thorax and side airbags. The latest generation DuPont Airbag HT Fiber T749 has been designed specifically to be packed into tight spaces while still providing superior performance over the life of the vehicle.
One of the biggest challenges in keeping the occupants safe during side-impact collision is preventing partial and complete ejection through side windows, especially in rollover incidents. According to NHTSA, advanced glazing systems could reduce partial and complete ejection through side windows. When used with inflatable curtain airbags, glazing systems provide maximum protection of the occupants. DuPont™ SentryGlas® Plus used in side windows can provide an effective reaction surface for thorax or curtain airbags, improve vehicle security, reduce flying glass lacerations and reduce the potential for airbag puncture.
