TRW introduces roof airbag technology

TRW Automotive Holdings has unveiled its new 'bag in roof' airbag system which replaces passenger airbags typically mounted in the instrument panel. The company claims the new airbag can help to mitigate passenger injuries and can allow for improved interior design aesthetics, ergonomics and functionality while saving space in the instrument panel. In addition, TRW claims this new design concept enhances development efficiency: by eliminating the need to package a passenger airbag in the instrument panel, t
April 25, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
RSS601 TRW Automotive Holdings has unveiled its new 'bag in roof' airbag system which replaces passenger airbags typically mounted in the instrument panel. The company claims the new airbag can help to mitigate passenger injuries and can allow for improved interior design aesthetics, ergonomics and functionality while saving space in the instrument panel. In addition, TRW claims this new design concept enhances development efficiency: by eliminating the need to package a passenger airbag in the instrument panel, the bag in roof design can significantly reduce the development costs of the dashboard as there is no need to develop a specific 'door' that opens with the airbag deployment. It is also functionally compatible with a wide range of vehicle architectures.

The airbag unit comprises a cushion and a gas generator which supplies the gas to the cushion in the event of an impact. The product offers easy assembly with opportunities for standardisation as some of the components are common to all applications.
TRW has undertaken pre-development work for the bag in roof technology for several years, and over the previous two years in close collaboration with a major European vehicle manufacturer, resulting in the award of a significant production contract.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Dynamic charging boosts electric vehicles’ potential
    December 16, 2014
    With an increasing need to use electric vehicles in city centres to reduce pollution, David Crawford looks at various solutions to power delivery. The UN’s September 2014 Climate Summit has added fresh momentum to the drive to increase urban electric vehicle (EV) takeup. It has launched the Urban Electric Mobility Initiative, which wants to see EVs accounting for 30% of all urban travel by 2030, and make cities worldwide more friendly to their use. Encouragingly, the plan is being well supported by commerci
    Read More
  • Getting real with fleet management and passenger information
    September 2, 2013
    UK ticketing technology company Parkeon has partnered with information specialist Cloud Amber to develop a new way of using the in-built GPS/GPRS functionality of an electronic ticket machine to improve the scope and accuracy of real time information systems while reducing system cost, complexity and maintenance requirements. Newport Transport is to take advantage of the alliance to become one of the first bus operators in the country to take direct control of its real time information systems, using the t
    Read More
  • Digital Light Processing transforms travel information
    July 19, 2012
    David Crawford investigates the potential of new projection technology. Fifty years on from its invention of the microchip, US company Texas Instruments (TI) has compressed the technology into a surface area of just 4.3mm. As such, it forms the heart of a new Pico Digital Light Processing (DLP) system that is set to transform travel information delivery for millions of users on the move - by making it projectable.
    Read More
  • Lacroix launches new range of multi-colour LED VMS
    February 26, 2014
    Lacroix Trafic will use Intertraffic Amsterdam 2014 to present a wide range of ITS products such as traffic lights, traffic controllers, and data-collection stations, variable speed limit signs, directional lane signs as well as to unveil a new range of multicolour LED full matrix variable messages signs (VMS). Using the latest CMS diode technology means these multi-coloured messages can be viewed at distances of up to 300 metres. The signs are easy to configure, with tool-free maintenance, and of course
    Read More

Highlighted Content