Saltwater Could Make Airbags Safer, Cheaper, Greener

You probably don’t think much about how your airbag works (just as long as it does). ARC Automotive has been giving it a lot of thought, and it has created a new inflator that uses H2O brine to make the mechanism safer, cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

The EcoSafe Inflator uses a saltwater solution and a small pyrotechnic charge to deploy the bag, as opposed to standard airbags’ larger charges that require cooling and filtering systems to dissipate the hot gases that inflate the airbag.

The saltwater mixture is nontoxic and has a lower temperature and particulate mixture. It’s also a less complicated system, so it can lower the overall parts cost of a vehicle, according to ARC Automotive.

If it delivers as advertised, the saltwater inflator sounds like a good deal. We’ll see if this approach to airbags becomes adopted throughout the industry.

EcoSafe Inflator Could Put a Little Saltwater in Your Airbag (AutoblogGreen)