Crash sensors fitted in cars can gauge the severity of an accident in milliseconds

This December has seen the 250 millionth airbag satellite come off the production line at a factory run by Continental, the international automotive supplier.

Each car is equipped with up to ten of these satellites. In the event of an accident, they measure the deceleration rates and pressure changes in the vehicle caused by the impact and transmit this data directly to the airbag control unit. This provides the occupants of a vehicle involved in an accident with the best-possible protection by activating lifesaving restraint systems such as airbags and seat-belt tensioners. These satellites have been produced in Regensburg and Ingolstadt since as far back as 1994 as part of Continental's comprehensive passive safety systems.

The gSAT acceleration satellite is now regarded as standard in modern vehicles. By measuring deceleration rates in the vehicle’s front structures and swiftly transmitting this data to the airbag control unit in the event of a crash, this satellite can determine the exact point of impact – as well as its duration and intensity – in just milliseconds.


Optimum protection against side impacts

Because of the small crumple zone available in side collisions, it is particularly important for the safety systems to react quickly. This is ensured by the pSAT pressure satellite, which combines with the acceleration satellite to offer optimum protection for vehicle occupants. The pressure satellite is installed in the door cavity, where it can directly measure pressure changes caused by collisions. Short reaction times ensure that the lifesaving restraint systems are activated immediately.

Platform for developing new technologies

More than 31 million acceleration satellites and approximately nine million pressure satellites have been produced in Regensburg and Ingolstadt in 2010 alone. Continental's Chassis & Safety Division has built on this proven and highly successful technology, for example, to develop its new pedestrian protection system, in which pressure sensors in the front bumper can reliably detect accidents involving pedestrians and activate safety systems in the vehicle's body. The active hood of the vehicle is raised in order to prevent the pedestrian who has been hit from being injured by the impact with the hood and the underlying engine block.