Press Release
American Auto Manufacturers Announces Global Resolve to Boost Airbag Safety
11/19/96
World's Automakers Unite to Improve Air Bag Safety TORONTO, Nov. 15 -- The world's automakers represented at an air bag technology workshop here today reached consensus that: 1) "depowering" air bags in future vehicles -- reducing the speed and force with which they deploy -- will increase air bag safety for front seat occupants; 2) the sled test proposed recently by the American Automobile Manufacturers Association (AAMA) is the preferred approach to achieve depowering and allow it to occur quickly; and 3) alternative approaches, such as raising certain crash injury criteria, will not allow significant improvements in all vehicles and are therefore unacceptable. The recommendation came at the conclusion of the two-day workshop sponsored by AAMA, the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM), the Association of International Automobile Manufacturers of Canada (AIAMC), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association of Canada (MVMA). The U.S. and international vehicle manufacturers attending the conference stated that there would be significant safety gains associated with depowering, particularly for children and smaller-statured adults. In fact, many automakers have announced their intention to begin to depower as soon as possible in Canada, where there are no regulatory constraints to doing so. Manufacturers stressed that the changes to allow depowering in future vehicles as suggested in the preferred approach above will not slow down the development of advanced air bag technology. Depowering is the best short-term option available, but depowering alone will not eliminate all associated risks. Air bags are highly-effective, supplemental, safety devices intended to maximize occupant protection when used with a safety belt, the primary safety device. The record of air bag effectiveness speaks for itself; AAMA, AIAM and their respective members want to build on this positive record and remain committed to this life-saying technology. Air Bag Safety ... Buckle, Everyone ... Children in Back.