The Controversy Over Airbags

[@chibiusa]

I survived a horrible head-on collision thanks to airbags. I was in the passenger seat and felt intense pain in my chest (from the seatbelt), shins (legs probably hit the glove compartment), and back of the head (from hitting the headrest) after coming to from the impact (I had a bad concussion). I never expected the car seat to unlock and go all the way forward in a car accident, so I would've been severely injured, disfigured, or dead if not for airbags. Recovery from the accident took well over a year. Lots of hospital visits and physical therapy. I hope anyone reading this never gets into a severe car accident, because my brain feels like it hasn't been the same ever since. It's been over a decade now since that car accident.

[@abhisheksinghasia]

Spirituality can also let you understand about the incidents of your life. Have you done any harm or physical damage to anyone in other country of residence or in same country? Just say sorry to your ownself and disconnect from that person and move on as you were also harmed. Car accident is indeed very painful that is why automotive industry is always innovating to test car crashes in R&D of the companies. I had interned in Brose Coburg, Germany and had seen OEMs returning and querying about the door systems and Seat systems equipments. Post accidents many times doors won't open but a robust engineering and testing let's the door to open post accident otherwise the passagers won't get out of car after accident or high impact. 📚 Airbags & Seat systems must be seen carefully before buying a car. God and your intelligence saved you in accident. Thanks to them. Take care. You will be healed slowly but soon. 🇮🇳

[@DumbledoreMcCracken]

What make and model car?

[@hjer731]

So sorry

[@xiaoka]

@@abhisheksinghasia yawn. Your supernatural scapegoating is laughable.

[@mhyder2266]

@@abhisheksinghasia Why are you leaving this Rude comment? What's wrong with you?

[@rulo7475]

Makes you wonder what other safety features we’ve never heard off because they hurt company profits

[@eidrahhtarts4102]

You can see some of it in racing sports like the halo in F1

[@sekou3758]

@@eidrahhtarts4102 Why would you implement halo in road cars? The only reason halo was implemented is because of how open F1 cockpits are.

[@amcboy1]

Safety is a much bigger factor that consumers consider now than it was back in the 1970s. It's not in the interest of any company to not offer safety enhancements, atleast as an option.

[@ruthlessluder]

Makes me wonder who wants every safety features that's on the higher trim also in the low end $9999 model.

[@zhadoomzx]

I think there are A LOT of those...

[@Incomudro1963]

There WAS controversy decades ago. There should be no controversy anymore. Side airbags in particular cab be the difference between life and death (or serious head injuries) in the same model vehicle that used to offer them as an option, or on some trim levels.

[@raoulduke3000]

same controversy with seatbelts or even vaccinations...

[@JoshDoingLinux]

Some boomers just want to complain and convince their children that everything is a conspiracy.

[@patricks8586]

@@JoshDoingLinux let the dumb die. It's just natural selection

[@WillN2Go1]

Stupid business people always see everything except 'same old, same old' as controversial.* I grew up in Detroit, I heard about the dangers of radial tires, seat belts, shoulder harnesses - supposedly they would break more necks than they save people. "There's not a gdm'd thing wrong with the gas tank on the Pinto!" I'm really happy Incomundro survived that accident. My mom had a slight fender bender in a 1953 Chrysler in a parking lot - I slid off the front seat and hit the steel dashboard. A 5 year old kid sitting in the front seat of a car now would be considered gross negligence - the Big Three in Detroit thought it wasn't a problem. *This is why Tesla came out of no where and is eating their lunch.

[@mike-sk2li]

20 year's ago a car was a steel tank. You could have a 70mph crash and the car would still drive. Now they are aluminum and plastic that are made to crumble.

[@anyadike]

This reminds me of the seat belt controversies where people didn't want to be mandated to wear seat belts. Among other things, they said their car had airbags, so they didn't need to wear seatbelts...

[@jakelivni9576]

Same people who don’t believe in masks during a pandemic.

[@linusmlgtips2123]

@@jakelivni9576 bingo

[@JAMESWUERTELE]

@@jakelivni9576 well because they didn’t do anything…

[@jakelivni9576]

Masks have been a simple, economical, safe and efficient, if very imperfect, tool in fighting infections for many years. That’s why they’re used in surgery. The same flat-earthers who don’t believe in masks also don’t believe in vaccines. Their greatest fear is falling off the edge of the earth. In practice, they are more likely to die of infection in unmasked surgery. How pitiful.

[@hamsterama]

@@jakelivni9576 Masks don't work, and neither do vaccines. Now, go back to drinking martinis would your girlfriends from yoga class, Jane, Judy, Leslie, Taylor, and Shania. You all can discuss how hot your yoga instructor, Ricky, is. Too bad you and your girlfriends are married, LOL! Your hubbies aren't as hot as Ricky LOL! And as you drink Martinis, you and your BFF's can discuss Tiger King. I mean, all the Karens are into Tiger KIng, right?

[@zhadoomzx]

Similar story with seat belts... once upon a time, no car had a seat belt. Then someone came alone and said "hey, maybe it would be good if people in car accidents did not fly through the wind shield" and then the controversy started...

[@justanotheraviator2357]

Even sadder with these because Volvo had them for a while before people caught on.

[@Robert-cu9bm]

Yeah, would it have not been easier and cheaper to just not have a windscreen. Then you can go through it.

[@kenwoodburn5244]

The only reason seatbelts became required is because insurance companies were tired of paying out for deaths. So it had nothing to do with your safety, just the greedy insurance companies not wanting to have to pay anything

[@MrMischelito]

... and same with headrests

[@polypolyman]

My uncle was once in a car accident that, had he been wearing a seatbelt, would have killed him. Granted this was a long time ago, and it was before companies realized the buckle needed to be attached to the seat and not the floor - basically the floor fell apart and ripped the buckle very far away from him very quickly. My point is not to question seatbelts, but rather that any technology needs some time to work out the bugs, even when the design is explicitly meant to improve safety.

[@MichaelA.2499]

I’d rather have a broken nose from a airbag than multiple broken ribs etc. from hitting the steering column

[@blackshadow7192]

Retractable steering columns have been around for a very long time and would go through the airbag anyway. The airbag protects your head from hitting anything hard(steering wheel, dashboard, etc) and keeps you in place so you don't have brain hemorrhage or loose your arm.

[@MichaelA.2499]

@@blackshadow7192 thank you for saying it clearer than I did!

[@MH-Tesla]

Okay. And you never were in an accident where there's no chance of serious injury but you get a broken nose and smashed in face anyway. Could walk away without a scratch, but instead your in reconstructive surgery. F that.

[@chloedegurechaff1941]

@@MH-Tesla nice copy paste.

[@23merlino]

@@MH-Tesla - and in exactly what percentage of all crashes does that actually happen..? i would not be surprised to hear that the percentage is near zero...

[@Sacto1654]

I can also say that as a survivor of an intersection accident, they also deploy extremely fast. I didn't even know what happened because the deployment of the steering wheel air bag happened in literally a blink of an eye.

[@vympelgru4159]

airbags deploy an average of 15 times faster than blink of an eye

[@silverfox1087]

Same here. I was a passenger in a T-Bone accident (the car that got hit) and the airbag deployed so fast. Unfortunately, I did have nasty burns & scarring from the side airbag on my right arm.

[@amg5619]

In my accident the front, side, seat, and knee airbag went off and I had absolutely zero bruising. It’s also good idea to sit at the appropriate distance from the steering wheel and arm placement.

[@buntukunene4410]

I have have a project that is due tomorrow that I haven't starred but here I am, learning the history of airbags

[@JamesK7911]

Crazy just how long they can work. I went to a junkyard a few weeks ago and saw a 1995 Ford F-150. It’s front end was completely torn apart and it was smashed inwards and slightly buckled on the drivers side, yet when I looked inside I could see it’s 30 year old airbag had still deployed.

[@paullacey2999]

Cars today are safer than before.Pity we havent improved our driving standards.....

[@channelglenn]

I think that will come soon. When we take the driver out of the equation roads will be safer

[@deus_ex_machina_]

Since the US doesn't have robust public transportation options and walkable cities that's not going to happen. If you raise standards then some people are going to fail, and that would leave them with no way to get to their work/school etc. In places like Germany where there are plenty of transit options apart from driving (walking/cycling/bus/train) the government can afford to be selective with who they issue licences to-without creating an underclass of people who rely on others to get places.

[@johne6081]

@@deus_ex_machina_ 1) Autonomous vehicles are coming. 2) Uber/Lyft/etc. are already here. 3) People can choose to move to one of the many urban areas in which a car is not needed for day-to-day living. (I live in a suburb, run many of my errands by bicycle, and work from home or ride commuter rail when I do have to go to the office, and as a result I drive under 1000 miles/year.)

[@practicalguy973]

EV mass adoption is coming, eventually everyone will have instant torque and 0-60 acceleration twice as fast as their old gas vehicles. People are already out of control driving so I cant imagine every vehicle with the ability to dart around things more unpredictably.

[@ChrisPatrick-q6k]

​@@deus_ex_machina_The failure rate isn't much higher in Germany, it's all about training. Driver training in the USA sucks

[@jlcii]

The irony that one of the main opponents against the installation of airbags in vehicles was the same man responsible for bringing to production one of the most dangerous vehicles ever made (*Pinto*). Yet, Lee Iacocca has still been celebrated as an automotive great because of the more successful iconic cars he brought to production. I'll be at, I'll give credit where credit is due, he still turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the lives and well-being of thousands of people for the sake of profits and monetary gain, as well as notoriety and influential power. That sounds quite familiar, unfortunately...

[@althunder4269]

The Pinto was no more or less "dangerous" than any other small car of that era. The stats prove it.

[@johne6081]

@@rotterred991 Damn spellchecker. :)

[@CharlesReinmuth]

Interesting how they went from Waaahhh! No airbags!! To "let's put in 13 additional, optional airbags and try hugging the passenger, too"

[@beamboi2775]

So they won’t die or get seriously injured

[@swecreations]

Just another proof that we can't let companies do this by themself, we need regulators. They will always choose profits over human lives.

[@tdrm]

It's not about companies vs regulators. It's about the people. Regulators can be against human lives too, as shown in this video with US President Nixon.

[@darkwoodmovies]

@@tdrm Regulators on the Republican side of the isle will always side with the companies that funded their campaigns.

[@redtra236]

@@tdrm Those early airbags weren't developed enough to be mandated they were pretty damn dangerous. They did save some lives but could also potentially crush people. They inflated faster than modern airbags. And remember at the time it was very common for kids to ride in the front seat and around 90% of people didn't wear seat belts. And it also would have substantially increased car costs when the economy already wasn't doing well.

[@ChrisPatrick-q6k]

​@@redtra236They didn't inflate faster, they were more aggressive though.

[@ruzzelladrian907]

The new Honda designed airbag is very interesting. Good job, Honda.

[@aaronerskine3401]

what i learned from this video is the size of the airbag determines how safe a car is. i never realized how safe my old car was until watching this. it had the biggest airbag in the world in the front seat -- on Sundays my ex-mother in law would ride to church with us...

[@ogalief]

Did she backseat drive?

[@amg5619]

The structure plays a big part as well

[@cosmoreed3461]

I heard that right after the wide adoption of airbags in the 90s a young girl was killed in a car accident by one as she was leaning from the back seat to tamper with the radio. Which is why many cars today are smarter with when and how the airbags deploy. They were even talking about making airbags that have a lighter deployment for less serious accidents but I don’t know if it actually happened.

[@jackreynolds7723]

The fact of the matter is you're more safe with an airbag in your vehicle for any accident.

[@sekou3758]

@@MH-Tesla Why are you so ignorant?

[@raoulduke3000]

​@@sekou3758 why are you so ignorant to confront someone who clearly doesn't understand the concept of statistics, percentages, or infinite shades of gray between black and white?

[@23merlino]

@@MH-Tesla - and in exactly what percentage of all crashes does that actually happen..? i would not be surprised to hear that the percentage is near zero...

[@redtra236]

That's not true but they do help more than they hurt. Sometimes they crush people. Sometimes they also deploy and cause the driver to lose control in a minor collision(good example is someone hitting an animal in the road which sometimes can deploy the airbag and cause them to crash when they would have stayed in control without it). It's a good thing that airbags were not mandated in 1970, those airbags were very unsafe compared to modern airbags and especially with children(usually not wearing a seat belt) commonly riding in the front seat there would have been a lot of deaths.

[@sloopy420]

@@23merlinofound the person who wants the steering wheel to go into their brain. or it already did

[@sethl3702]

What about how all the Takata factories and executives remain after the merger but all the US key safety systems facilities are shut down?

[@jkerman5113]

A big problem with airbags is that they are LOUD. Like, pushing 170 decibels. I know people who have have survived an accident because of airbags, only to get life-ruining tinnitus due to the noise. As someone with tinnitus myself I am considering ripping the blasted things out. I wish airbag designers would acknowlege and fix this gaping problem.

[@warthog473]

Small drivers, mostly women, are far more likely to be seriously hurt by airbags because they sit much closer to the dashboard and steering wheel to reach the pedals. As someone who's 5 feet, I worry about it all the time. A man was hit so hard in the face he had a dozen broken bones and lost an eye. After I saw that documentary I never wanted a car with an airbag again, but unless you buy an antique from the old days, you can't get away from it. I don't want any touch screens, GPS, Bluetooth, back up cameras either, but again, good luck. Adds an unnecessary ten or twenty thousand dollars to the price of a vehicle for crap I don't even want or need

[@Tracert-mc1hu]

That's why new cars have adaptive air bags, it senses the weight in the seat and fires the airbag differently based on position, speed, etc. They've already thought of that.

[@23merlino]

a very valid point... have you looked on the internet to see if there are any pressure groups trying to advance a solution to this problem..? maybe there are some types of (foreign) cars that might be more 'user friendly' towards your issue...

[@donaldcarey114]

@@Tracert-mc1hu As if their "solutions" have worked...SMH

[@Tracert-mc1hu]

@@donaldcarey114 They do actually make a difference.

[@jaysmith1408]

Not having the issue with airbags, being over 6’ and sitting far from the wheel, and high off the floor, but agreeing on all the expensive gadgets, I have had three ways around it, buying fleet vehicles (my personal favorite way), buying base models, and flatly telling the dealer, that I want nothing of the sort, either remove it or break it, before we talk. If the manufacturer found a way to put it in there, I can find a way to rip it out.

[@jaystarr6571]

2:15 "Crash test..." Dummy in corner: "Hey, my break isn't over yet."

[@stonetoolcompany3649]

What is never mentioned is that deployment in a minor situation where it is NOT needed to prevent injury or death can and does at times turn a minor situation into a much more serious one. I’ve seen this in a number of instances. A car rolled because of the effect of slamming the driver in the face causing him to lose control. The classic case is a deer hit. Clearly considering the urban concentration of people, there are more positive outcomes by far than negative ones. But the negatives are NEVER documented or reported…ever!

[@pocucopu3507]

I agree they never mention bad sides of it. I also don't understand why airbags deploy at low speeds like 15-25 mph. I mean it is bigger risk that airbag would mess you up if you have crash at 20mph. Also what nobody is mentioned is when airbag deploy there is noise from explosion about 170dB. That is same as shock granate is deployed in car, and when windows are closed just imagine what huge pressure would do to your eardrums and inner ear. I just can't except that if I have minor accident I must experience "shock granate" in my car. Maybe I am wrong but i think there should be some kind of switch to turn off airbags. Sorry on my English it is not mine first language

[@markrowland1366]

Controversy? For thirty years after seat belts were mandated I was still hearing how being thrown from a car saved a life.

[@Medicineandlacrosse]

People still claim that BS, or that the seatbelt is going to trap you when your car is one fire. Well you also can’t crawl out of your car on fire if you are thrown into the windshield and knocked out

[@kain0m]

Oh, there's always someone with the story of how they only survived because they got ejected from the vehicle. The twenty other people who died after being ejected from their car can't go around telling stories. It's called survivorship bias.

[@redtra236]

In rare cases being ejected can save your life, but usually it hurts your chances of survival.

[@alterman156channel]

Airbags have saved many lives. I owe my life to an airbag and the seat belt. I was in a serious headlight to headlight crash in a 2021 Toyota Corolla. The driver's side front, driver's side curtain and the driver' side knee airbags deployed. All I heard was a loud bang from the crash. Though my car a turned around a little more than 90º, I was still alert. I did sustain a partially fractured sternum and a bloody nose. No other injuries.

[@faithizzlezz]

As a small person that sits very close to the steering wheel, the idea of the airbag deploying scares me the most when it comes to accidents. Imagine dying from a fender bender, embarrassing.

[@DavidKen878]

Then stop sitting close to the steering wheel.

[@theclueguy3388]

New cars have adapting airbags. This is also the reason IIHS test cars with a female dummy instead of a male. That way the injury measures are much more accurate for everyone. If the female dummy has low injury measures so will everyone else.

[@redtra236]

You can disable the airbags in your car but it's not super easy. And I wouldn't sell it without reactivating them.

[@pindianimations]

I survived a head on collision with a truck because of this fluffy boii.

[@JamesK7911]

I’ve always had older vehicles and have been in 2 major wrecks and 1 minor wreck but thankfully still have not had an airbag deploy for me. I was once tboned with no side airbags and my vehicle was totaled as well as the person who hit me with her front airbag that deployed. Then someone cut me off while I was going 70mph and to avoid rear ending them I swerved around them and took out 2 signs, however it just took out my bumper and it just missed the airbag sensor and his vehicle was newer but his side airbags didn’t deploy. I fixed the grill and bumper but unfortunately 5 months later I was in a rollover wreck and the vehicle was totaled. I was driving when I went over a patch of black ice and I started to roll several times down a steep ditch until the drivers side door struck a giant tree. The drivers door was jammed shut and there was a lot of intrusion near my feet as well as by my head. I even hit my head against the door frame and window, and I did get the wind knocked out of me when I struck the tree. However my vehicle still was old enough that it didn’t come with any side airbags but I was still able to walk away without any scratches except for being sore 🤷‍♂️ My current vehicle is even older now that actually didn’t even do good in the IIHS crash test 😂 however I will admit regardless of the crashes I’ve been in, I still haven’t been in a full frontal but that to me I think is still the scariest than being in a rollover wreck. I can handle being jolted around violently even for 5 seconds which is how long I was being jolted around when I rolled over, but the thought of hitting something head on and having a loud airbag inflate in my face a split second before my face hits it is something i don’t want to experience lmao

[@Ranveer_Singh_sangha03]

Is this new way advertising of companies Well uts good to know honda offers more airbags then normal family sedans

[@brycmtthw]

They don’t offer more than others. I have a car made by FCA that has 10 airbags, the comparable Honda has only 6. 😂😂🤣

[@techcommentlooker3951]

@@brycmtthw how many is one thing but how its used and shaped is much more important.

[@NvidiaRTX5080]

More doesn't mean better

[@Name-ot3xw]

In the wake of COVID I'm left curious about how people weight their relative risks to things. I hadn't noticed that, in a practical sense, a person's tolerance for risk varies quite so greatly between topics.

[@ruthlessluder]

The point is, people will always complain about newer safety feautures only available on the higher end, more expensive models. There was a lawsuit on Jeep because someone crashed a lower end Jeep onto a stationary car and a child was killed. They sue Chrysler because the auto braking feature was only standard on the more expensive model and not the model that crashed. There's no way manufacturers can make all safety features available across all trims of their cars. Higher priced trims will always get better technology including better safety features. To demand manufacturers to include all safety features on all their cars is unreasonable.

[@23merlino]

no it isn't... the more you produce a product eg: an airbag, the cheaper it gets... in fact this is the way cheaper cars get the same features as high-end cars a few years later... i won't go into the moral issue...

[@ruthlessluder]

@@23merlino You hit the nail on the head by saying a few years later. You have people suing car companies because their cheaper model doesn't have the same latest feature on the higher-end model that could have prevented a crash. No, the low end model will never get the same safety feature as the high end model until a few years later when prices for those features come down.

[@Sparky-ww5re]

When I first got my license my first vehicle was was 1993 Ford Ranger, no airbags. As a kid my mother had a 1985 Buick regal, no airbags and I remember her also owning an early to mid 80s Oldsmobile station wagon. As a result I thought airbags were a waste of money only installed to make the automakers richer , because that's why cars have seat belts My attitude towards airbags changed, 5 years ago, when a driver in a minivan blew a stop sign, and I T boned the driver while driving approx 60 mph in my 2013 Ford Focus, front and side airbags deployed, had my seat belt properly buckled The minivan driver was not wearing a seat belt, was believed to have been distracted by a cell phone, and sadly deceased after flipping in a ditch and being ejected. I was off work for about a month, had many sprains and pulled muscles in my back and legs, along with whiplash injuries, and made many visits to the chiropractor after returning to work. however no broken bones and no long-term injuries. The point is, today's cars are much safer than the cars I grew up with and learned on. Crumple zones and airbags, together with seat belts, can greatly reduce severity of injuries and fatalities

[@A22DNAL]

Crumple zones especially are such a gift to sucking up most of the energy from a collision to mitigate more serious risk to the safety cage. Glad to hear your story.

[@__-fm5qv]

Not to mention the passenger safety cell. Modern cars have much stronger and stiffer passenger cabins, which allow systems like seatbelts and airbags to work most effectively.

[@Robert-cu9bm]

@@__-fm5qv A lot of that strength actually comes from the windscreen.

[@__-fm5qv]

@@Robert-cu9bm The windscreen doesn't add any meaningful strength in a head on collision, it helps the roof a bit in a roll over but most of the strength is through the stronger pillars and substructure they are connected to.

[@Robert-cu9bm]

@@__-fm5qv If you don't think 30% is significant...I don't know what is.

[@lucian7182]

I’m not a Big fan of airbags, when I was younger an airbag burned my entire face, blinded me for 3 days, and broke my nose. It took 6months for my face to heal and look normal again, my eyes however had permanent damage and I’ve had to wear glasses or contacts since.

[@kain0m]

I've spent a night in hospital in the same room as someone who inverted their face due to not having an airbag and banging their ahnd on the dashboard. He would've gladly trade for your bruises, I am 100% certain. Poor fella spent the best part of a month in the hospital. Don't know if his jaw ever worked again, he certainly didn't talk normally at the time.

[@theclueguy3388]

Better to have face burns vs a shattered jaw. What year was your car? New airbags fix these problems.

[@lucian7182]

@@theclueguy3388 this was back I. The early 90’s I can say my dad had a minivan but don’t remember the make.

[@lucian7182]

@@ChrisPatrick-q6k my story was 100 percent true. I was about 8 years old at the time. My parents had just got divorced. My mother never came to visit me at the hospital, she was too busy getting high with her new boyfriend. My grandma and uncle came to see me. My uncle ironically brought me a comic book I really wanted, the death of super man. Where he fought doomsday. I missed almost the entire school year that year. Partly because I was injured and partly because I was ashamed of all the scabs and fresh skin on my face. My class did make me a big get well card though. I lied about nothing, back then kids could ride in the front seat and the cars didn’t have airbag warning labels back then so people didn’t really know how dangerous they were. I guess I got lucky I didn’t get killed. The only reason I was in the front that day is I was fighting with my little brother in the back while my dad was trying to drive on the 138 which at the time was only a 2 lane highway they had just repaved, there was a pile up in front of him he slammed the brakes, brakes locked up and van slid into the pile up, totaled the van.

[@maarirs12894]

I met with an accident. Got out without a single scratch thanks to airbag and seat belt. Nasty crash but saved my life or at least left me with 0 injury.

[@KermitFrogThe]

Seeing this I realise how far behind we in the UK were behind the US regaring safety. In the 70s we didn't always have seatbelts and there was no mention of airbags at all. The seatbelts in cars were often only in the front and had to be set up to the individual so if you got in as a guest the seatbelt was either faffed with or left as it was and did virtually nothing.

[@ShainAndrews]

Road system in the UK can't really be compared to the US. Most current studies I've looked at show the UK's roads in metropolitan areas is much better than the US in regards to safety.

[@KermitFrogThe]

@@ShainAndrews Is that now or has it always been the case? I would expect us to be closer matched now. But as always I reserve the right to be wrong.

[@ShainAndrews]

@@KermitFrogThe If anything the US is doing worse in metro areas. Populations increase but the roadways are really slow to evolve. There is this mind set that a speed limit sign is all that is needed to make roadways safe. Then they build a four lane road through a residential area with wide shoulders and wonder why people speed. It feels just like being on a high way or an interstate.

[@KermitFrogThe]

@@ShainAndrews The focus on speed as the sole cause of issues really annoys me. It is a danger but there are others and this singular focus increases the risk from the others. I watched something years ago showing that stopping distance is more of an issue than speed. 2 cars travelling at 100mph, car in front with brake lights disabled. Slammed on and the car behind by maintaining sufficiently safe distance stopped without issue. In built up areas of course speed is more of an issue because of pedestrians etc. but not paying due care and attention is more likely to cause an accident, the speed will make the accident more severe. I remember travelling through Germany decades ago and encountering a 10 speed limit. It took me a moment to realise that was 10km an hour, less than 7 mph. Everyone followed it because it was a winding area with children playing nearby. Because they obey the rules they can be trusted to have roads without speed limits. Because in the UK we tend not to, we get ever reducing limits.

[@ShainAndrews]

@@KermitFrogThe I bet that road with the 10k limit would have felt awkward to drive much faster than that anyway. They tend to design the roads to impress upon the driver the risks.

[@MrMischelito]

The crashtest footage confuses me. Why do the seatbelts move so much? They don't retain the dummies at all...

[@tedpalmer5552]

I noticed that too. It's like the inertia reel seat belt did not lock up at all. While this vid is about airbags there may not be enough scope to discuss how airbags interact with standard inertia reels and pretensioning seat belts.

[@paxundpeace9970]

To sum this up. Airbags are good but they can help all the time. 'Sometimes' they are designed bad not including for the safety of women and children. On airbag maker had massiv issues with malfunctions on the airbags so that they caused accidents. Those are mostly taken out of service now.

[@pdsnpsnldlqnop3330]

The history should also include the idea that seatbelts weren't going to be needed as the airbag would suffice.

[@johne6081]

True, even though seatbelts offer far better protection than airbags, which are correctly intended as supplemental restraints, not passive restraints.

[@clayz1]

Dave Letterman tested an airbag on his show. They brought in a car onstage, a convertible I think. Dave sat in the car and, after some comedy prattle, they fired the bag. It was over in an instant and was absolutely dumbfounded. He was not at all prepared for this intense of an experience.

[@underscrutinyallnight]

1. This history lesson shows how corporations just seek profit first and foremost. 2. The government and regulators are a critical piece of the puzzle. 3. Corporations will use their money to spread propaganda to shift public opinion in their favor. 4. The people who claimed "freedom" was their motivation for not backing life-saving measures, didn't think you first need to be alive to be free

[@da900smoove1]

There was a movie from the 90s Demolition Man and I remember them showing a vehicle crash into a Fountain and the Vehicle deployed Liquid Foam that Harded to something like Styrofoam

[@dosmastrify]

His car turned into a canoli

[@taskforcekarma6945]

Chinese brand NIO has the passenger airbag deploy from the roof to help with providing extra protection and also prevent glass from the windshield possibly harming the passenger. It is patented by NIO as well and can be viewed on the NIO crash test that were conducted by EuroNCAP.

[@virginiakingsford9470]

This title is very misleading.

[@andrewallen9993]

Takata airbags, made to the same high standards as the MCAS system on a Boeing 737 max!

[@Blank00]

The difference was that Boeing took full blame for the MAX atrocities and airlines took none. Meanwhile, automakers took blame for Takata's atrocities.

[@andrewallen9993]

@@Blank00 Oh, which Boeing executives who took the decision to save money that killed all those passengers went to jail? Nobody at Boeing took any blame or suffered any consequences at all whatsoever.

[@Blank00]

@@andrewallen9993 I'm talking about who did the families of MAX victims sue vs who did the families of Takata victims sue. Boeing took 100% of the lawsuits for the MAX. Meanwhile, Automakers took the fall for Takata in terms of lawsuits.

[@bolt5564]

how did CNBC managed to make a video titled the controversy with airbags and not talk about the only current controversy with airbags. The current (and only) controversy in regards to airbags is whether we should be using knee airbags, which protect passengers who are not using seat belts, but cause are slightly more dangerous to passengers using seat belts.

[@bolt5564]

My position is that I wear a seatbelt and so I don't want to pay for a knee airbags that will injure me in a crash, but some people are pushing for them to become mandatory.

[@TheCinderDude]

@@bolt5564 I don’t want them either. Seatbelts are in law for a reason, it sucks that people won’t use them

[@redtra236]

@@bolt5564 The seat belt doesn't keep you from moving forward at all your knees will likely still hit the dash. I agree airbags shouldn't be mandated though and seat belts should be mandated to be equipped I feel like but be optional to use.

[@kd1s]

My Chevy Trax had multiple air bags. Drive and passenger of course but side curtain and seat side air bags.

[@redtra236]

There were a decent amount of Japanese cars in 1970. Those early airbags were ok but it is definitely a good thing the mandate got shot down. They were still really expensive and also not perfected. They deployed way faster than modern airbags and sometimes crushed people to death, especially shorter people. Mandating them would have also substantially increased the cost of cars when the economy was already not doing so well.

[@givemeabreakdoc]

Airbags…….gooberment mandated hearing loss devices. Imagine a shotgun blast going off 6 inches next to your ear. 100% guaranteed hearing loss and permanent tinnitus.

[@maggiepie8810]

Ford also released one of the most infamous and dangerous road cars ever, as the result of a $10 upgrade per car that was too expensive to include.

[@vasopel]

4:14 what year is this footage from? no crash barrier on the side of the road?

[@thebikehippie6562]

5:04 Can we all just take a moment to appreciate that mint Impulse!!

[@lb9gta307]

Those early air bags into the 90s weren't all that safe. They had a significantly more violent single stage deployment than current multi-stage air bags and in most cases with those older cars you'd fair better with just a seat belt. Only in total loss (unrepairable) crashes would you want one of those deploying.

[@onilovni1234]

Can we just stop this 70 years old debate and declare once and for all that a car cannot be too safe and that we must continue R&D on safety techs including airbags?

[@a427rracer]

The problem i see as a auto technician is these people sit Tooooooo close the the wheel like literaly 2 inches off the wheel. The airbag deploys that close its going to break your neck. For them to work accordingly you must sit the proper distance away from the airbag. Typically about 12inches. The air bag deploys at over 300mph and over 300°f. They are an explosive device. They are dangerous if not properly used aka sitting in your vehicle incorrectly. Saves lives of those who understand to sit properly and operate a vehicle.

[@kain0m]

Ironically, one of the mein contributors to road accidents is sitting too far away from the steering wheel. The "gangster lean" wreaks havoc on your ability to control the vehicle. The ideal searing position is fairly upright; knee should be at a slight angle with the pedals fully depressed, and your (hands') ankle should be able to reach the top of the steering wheel with the shoulder against the backrest. If you have to move your torso to reach this position, you're too far back. 12" sounds about right, though.

[@mohammadsattar5488]

I honestly thought that airbags were introduced in cars sometime in the mid 80's

[@MrCodgod111]

As far as seatbelt safety goes I highly recommend the correct seating position aswell. To close and it’ll feel like the punching bag punched YOU right in the dome. I speak from experience with that one. Knocked me out. To far back and I believe it can cause whiplash bouncing between the headrest and airbag. Either way, sit correctly in the car!

[@craigjensen6853]

Some newer vehicles are able to directionally deploy the airbag or use multiple stages depending on the seat location and crash severity.

[@MrCodgod111]

@@craigjensen6853 technology really is getting insane man

[@ayywestside3512]

Iacocca plays the same character here as he played in the "Ford vs Ferrari". I hate this man

[@carlmelville]

Well done. One major innovation not noted is Tesla. Their OTA updates includes continually tweaking the airbag firing algorithms to improve safety based on evolving fleet data. This also includes taking into account the size and seating position of the passenger. Just one more benefit of software-driven vehicles and OTA technologies.

[@Robert-cu9bm]

The cons are to high for OTA though.

[@carlmelville]

​@@Robert-cu9bm Flat wrong. Facts are not even close. Every automaker is pursuing them. As cars become rolling computers, the need for frequent updates becomes essential. Tesla is two cycles ahead of the competition on this, with the average auto industry cycle being 4 to 5 years. Those are Farley's numbers, btw.

[@bobbbobb4663]

@@carlmelville Go watch the video Louis Rossman made with a Model X owner whose frequent ota updates made the OS lag enough to be a safety issue. No thanks and one more reason I don’t own a Tesla (but do own a Leaf).

[@davidmilhouscarter8198]

5:30 Ahhh… the good ole days.

[@elian5288]

Insane how cooperate greed is really the only reason something as important as safety is debated over. They do make an excuse to justify higher profits

[@jca0071]

Ppl really argued against airbags??? Who am I kidding I'm not surprised

[@Mountain413]

Bless that NHTSA lady.

[@jca0071]

@@louis-michelgorremans2366....you're joking right?

[@MH-Tesla]

Okay. And you never were in an accident where there's no chance of serious injury but you get a broken nose and smashed in face anyway. Could walk away without a scratch, but instead your in reconstructive surgery. F that.

[@kenbob1071]

Just another day in the life of Corporate America. Profits over people.

[@chloedegurechaff1941]

@@MH-Tesla Oh look here you are again XD

[@JackMustang]

I can’t imagine a world without airbags! The people who were involved in a wreck wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for that invention of head protection!

[@keywestjj]

Interesting - looks like I'll have these if I ever buy a car newer than 1997 ....

[@iivv_nn]

I drove a honda crx hf for years, no air bags. Finally bought an s2000 with airbags. Seeing all the tuner kids remove rhe factory wheel breaks my heart.

[@gigan1972]

Im not Suprised, but disappointed all tje same that the IIHS wasnt in this. They really helped pioneer and change the Industry over the past 30 years. They are the reason side airbags are everywhere, and why protection has gotten so good

[@soileddungarees]

The overuse of possibly unnecessary safety equipment along with making everything digital is the main reason we can't go out and buy a band new car that gets well above 30 mpg for under 10,000 dollars, meanwhile none of that applies to motorcycles because everyone knows vehicles are inherently dangerous and that the consumer understands the risk and is willing to take it.

[@top10cars2]

Airbags are NOT an unnecessary safety feature

[@soileddungarees]

@@top10cars2 naturally, seat belts are pretty cool as well. I was talking more about the copious amounts of sensors and driver aids that are put on new cars, If someone wants to pay for all that stuff as a dealer option that would be nice but now people don't have the option to get a new car that's very basic like a early 90s base model civic or a Geo Metro because if I have a option to buy a non abs motorcycle I should be able to buy a very basic old school econo box and drive it a few miles around town

[@top10cars2]

@@soileddungarees Okay that's fine. I was worried that you might be thinking that air bags are not necessary.

[@davidmilhouscarter8198]

1:42 Cars are safe. Drivers are not.

[@raoulduke3000]

3 or 4 years ago my 2007 Mustang was recalled to replace the gas cylinder of the driver's airbag, because some of them obviously exploded instead of filling the airbag. Fair enough, it got replaced. Last year I got another recall, this time for the passenger airbag, same problem, perhaps the same gas cylinder, but since there's not always a passenger in the car it probably took them 2 more years until the passenger death count got high enough. wtf?!? I'm not against airbags at all btw.

[@deus_ex_machina_]

It would've been cheaper to just replace both of them at once, since the expensive part of a 'recall' is the recall itself, rather than the repair/replacement/retrofit. Maybe Ford just didn't expect the passenger side charge to rack up enough deaths, or hoped the authority wouldn't consider it serious enough to issue a recall?

[@Robert-cu9bm]

@@deus_ex_machina_ It's not ford paying. Ford claims the money back from the supplier, you can't change both on a whim then say to them well you know the airbag that wasn't faulty, we changed that too. Give us some extra money

[@raoulduke3000]

@@Robert-cu9bm Only if the supplier delivered parts with poorer quality as agreed on and ordered, which I very much doubt in this particular case, but who knows... NO supplier in any industry would agree to be reliable for their customer's products if delivered as ordered. Also, not the airbags, just the gas cylinders were faulty, and believe me, the recall notifications are identical except for the words "passenger" and "driver".

[@bowez9]

If at properly sitting distance a air bag isn't needed if wearing seat belt. Now if you're one of those people hugging the steering wheel then yes they help-but you are at the improper seating position.

[@__-fm5qv]

A seatbelt doesn't lock you do the seat completely, if that was the case you could say goodbye to your organs, it just stops you flying forward completely. Therefore, your head still contacts the steering wheel due to the human spine being a boney noodle under those sorts of forces. The airbag is there to then stop your head contacting the hard surface of the steering wheel. When used with the seatbelt restraints and side airbags the motion of your body is controlled so you don't whack your head on any of hard surfaces in the car and reduce whiplash. If you're sitting so far away that your head doesn't contact the steering wheel you're basically driving with your arm completely straight, which is incorrect, they should be bent to give optimal control over the wheel.

[@bowez9]

@@__-fm5qv once agian if in the proper seating position there is no way you head can contact the wheel while wearing a seatbelt, well that is as long as the seat mounting bolts hold which in that case a air bag nor a collapsible steering colum isn't saving you. Arms should not be straight but have only a slight bend. At that distance arms are longer than the head to shoulder distance.

[@__-fm5qv]

@@bowez9 Bit it isn't your head-shoulder distance thats the only factor, a seat belt lets the upper part of your torso move about half a foot forward in a crash so you don't just stop suddenly. That movement foward, coupled with the angle of the torso at that point means you can absolutely hit your head on a lot of steering wheels. If for example I do the same motion just sitting in my chair here, measuring with a ruler tells me my head moves approximattely two feet forward, relatively speaking. If airbags didn't prevent people hitting their heads in a crash we wouldnt' have them, as thats their primary function.

[@bowez9]

@@__-fm5qv not saying they don't stop people from hitting the steering wheel, I am saying of those people follow proper procedure they would not (statistically speaking). Remember the primary function of a airbag is to stop a 6' 225lb man not wearing his seat belt from hitting the steering wheel. If properly restrained and seated an airbag can increase the force applied to head and neck by applying a acceleration force in the opposite direction (one not needed if in proper driving position).

[@__-fm5qv]

@@bowez9 These days airbags aren't designed to stop someones entire body, only to work in conjunction with a seatbelt to soften the impact and prevent the head from impacting the harder surfaces of the car. If properly calibrated an airbag should never apply a sudden acceleration backwards to the head, as it should be fully inflated before the occupant even comes in contact with it. Therefore, the acceleration/deceleration it provides is a relatively softer and slower one in comparison to being jerked to a stop either via the seat belt or by the interior of the car. As that acceleration will happen one way or another as your body has to come to rest at some point.

[@preciadoalex123]

7:59 pretty important on how airbags work. Some chemicals and gas

[@courtneypuzzo2502]

there were some Japanese cars sold in the US in 1970 I.E. Datsun Sunny Toyota Corolla Toyota Celica etc. the Corolla started getting popular in the 1973-74 model years due to the Arab gas embargo that began in October 73 when the embargo hit my late maternal grandmother drove a 72 Oldsmobile Delta 88 and grandpa drove a 72 Oldsmobile 98 hardtop Coupe both had a 24 gallon gas tank and each paid about 13 bucks a week to fill the tank they traded the 72s in for 75s in September of 74 grandma bought a Ford Granada which she hated and traded in in 78 for a 79 Cadillac Coupe Deville My mom had a yellow Subaru for several years when I was younger can't remember what model she had

[@kenmore01]

What about making air bags for cars that deploy outside? It keeps cars from damage in the first place. Bumpers, sides etc. It may protect cars from damage in the first place.

[@motojojo_]

The airbag deploys as a response to an impact, by the time an airbag goes off the external panels being hit are toast. Also cars weigh a lot, when in motion the force they exert is greater. It's not feasible to produce an airbag big enough to absorb that much energy

[@jakelivni9576]

1:33 “If we talk about safety then we have to acknowledge that cars might not be safe.” Same with computer software. Microsoft et al release buggy software with thousands of security holes which need patching later. They don’t like talking about security because that would be acknowledging that they have routinely sold faulty software for which they take no responsibility.

[@bobabola1386]

Honestly most of the tech in cars isnt needed but I fw airbags

[@ph11p3540]

Air bags evolved and were made to better save lives. Gone are the days of false sensor triggered inflations or use of ultra toxic hydrazine/nitrogen tetroxide charges.

[@delavago5379]

I'd never buy a second hand car without a air bag. Saved my life when I blacked out and ran off the road and flipped multiple times.

[@TheAllMightyGodofCod]

Well, in Europe we basically went from not even hearing about airbags... To everyone wanting one, over night and that is it. I don't remember anyone questioning their safety....then again, seat belts were already mandatory and used widely so airbags worked much better

[@alparslankorkmaz2964]

Nice video.

[@AyushGupta-sm9ux]

Good 👍. Keep it up 👏🏻

[@kylerider7125]

I’ve come face to face with an air bag at 55 mph to 0 in an instant and I walked away without a scratch.

[@GustavoLudear]

I have severe tinnitus and I really fear airbag deployment. They are too loud for my damaged ears.

[@Eric_Olsen]

There's a perfectly good alternative to air bags your mother-in-law and has been available since the Model T.

[@craigjensen6853]

Yeah but first you have to fit her in the car. We usually have to cart mine around in a dump truck.

[@ninjanerdstudent6937]

I’m glad they pointed out that SUVs are safer. A lot of the traffic advocate channels on KZbin don’t seem to understand the safety concerns of why people choose bigger vehicles.

[@counterfit5]

They're only safer in collisions with lighter vehicles.

[@redtra236]

SUVs are more prone to rollover accidents though so it depends

[@SkylarsTerribleMemes]

easiest way to achieve zero car deaths is for there to be zero card, but i guess we can't have better methods of transportation if it hurts profits

[@dosmastrify]

8:55 editor where are you?? All modern cars have these occupancy sensors!!

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[@toyotagazooracer4455]

Next: The Seat Belt Controversy

[@redtra236]

Not very many people were against adding them into cars mandating their usuage was what made people mad

[@M-PASTA]

Would have been cool to make cars harder to crash instead of making them crash better 🤷‍♂️

[@jebremocampo9194]

Does not matter whether they work or not. Do you have the choice to choose to be safe or not is the real question. Why is DNR (do not resucitate) legal? It is because we believe people should be free to choose.

[@chomihai]

We’ve missed you narrator

[@seanmichael6579]

I didn't even notice the change until you said something. Yes, @CNBC, keep this guy for all videos! Or have the rest of your crew use pro microphones!

[@ThrottleJunction]

Is this a Honda ad?

[@givemeabreakdoc]

“50,000 lives saved?” According to who? A gooberment bureaucrat? They have absolutely no way to prove that. God, I’m so tired of bureaucrats telling me what’s good for me.

[@bc5084]

Just give everyone bucket seats and 5 point harnesses

[@dosmastrify]

Ain't nobody got time for that

[@BlueSky-kh8ue]

Didn't answer what happens to your hands if they are on top of the steering wheel...

[@eyeyamjstn628]

Airbags are a controversy now?

[@Cba409]

Thats why i drive a 1959 corvette. No air bags, no seatbelts, no problem.

[@4.0gpa44]

You should be able to buy a car with or without airbags. They shouldn't be required.

[@kapishgirdhar]

Another example of companies having no morals! Profits over health

[@ruthlessluder]

Consumers keep demanding more and more features in the low priced models but don't want to pay extras for add-on safety features. Someone has to pay. These advance features aren't free you know.

[@Tracert-mc1hu]

Yes and no, slapping any old airbag in as soon as possible would've done more harm than good. It took years of development to design air bags in such a way that they were legitimately helpful and not a liability. It also took consumers being willing to spend more money on a car just because it has air bags, and the approval of the public.

[@mrmoncherz2574]

cant they just make a super fast fire safe foam that will encase the inside of the car, to make it work like an airbag? the foam would need to be fast enough to expand before any damage happens to the occupants, foam roll cage if you will but also a fire retardant. ooblek type of foam

[@xmrun]

That foam would probably be ripping hot, and the occupants might run the risk of getting it inside their mouth, throat, lungs, etc.

[@theclueguy3388]

full body 3rd degrrr burns

[@theeraphatsunthornwit6266]

Phew.. i thought you was telling me now that it doesnt help.