The Power of an Airbag

The automobile airbag is more powerful then you would think. In an accident, the crash detection sensors and airbag module has to determine that there was a crash and how severe of an impact that occurred. This decision takes between 15 and 30 milliseconds. Then the airbag module has to ignite the airbag  and it has to fully inflate which takes another 20 – 30 milliseconds. The total process from time of impact to the airbag being fully inflated takes about 60 – 80 milliseconds. The average human takes 300 – 400 milliseconds to blink their eye.