6 air bags (was Re: Autoweek Audi comments)

[ScharfR@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-06-02 23:20:42 EDT, you write:

>And six hot airs! Just imagine how horrorfying when those babies deploy
>all at once, with cabin full of pets!

They will never deploy all at once. According to German literature, the A8
has two front air bags and four side airbags - one for each outboard seating
position, front and rear.  Crash sensors will deploy either the front pair,
or one side pair, or the other side pair.  No single crash incident can
deploy more than two airbags.  To further reduce deployments, sensors which
detect "occupancy" will prevent deployment of an air bag which is protecting
an unoccupied seat.  So, at most, a crash will deploy two bags. I suppose
that it is possible for a multiple-impact crash to cause a second set of
deployments, but it would be a reletively rare crash sequence.  Even so, I'd
be happy to have them there if the need were to arise.