A collision, particularly a collision of the head and chest against the steering wheel, caused by the fonuard rotary movement of the upper body resulting from the sudden deceleration of the vehicle in the event of an accident, has led to the development of new driver and passenger protection systems.

The introduction of the airbag system meant a considerable improvement in the protection afforded to drivers and passengers. As a result of the short reaction times, modern airbag modules are fitted with pyrotechnic gas generation systems. The drawbacks involved with this, such as the high burning temperature, the splitting of CO and disposal problems have been compensated by KS AS by the development of a gas generation system on the basis of compressed air. This paper reports on the design, function and benefits of an airbag with this system, in terms of its protective function.