Nowadays, the most widely used system for securing your cars’ occupants is the three-point safety belt. Three-point belts are required by law for the two front seats and the two outer rear seats. The three-point belt combines good securing properties with the best wearing and fitting comfort.
As the name implies, the three-point belt fixes the wearer's body firmly to the car at three points: to the side of the car at the top and bottom in the area of the B and C pillars and on the inner side at the seat. In a collision, the two areas of the belt for the pelvis and upper body have the task of holding the body back relative to the car. The Automatic Three-Point Safety Belt is supplemented by pyrotechnic belt tensioners and belt force limiters.
Optimal occupant protection requires that belt tensioners, belt force limiters and airbags interact selectively: after impact, the belt tensioners are activated within 30-40 milliseconds to reduce the forward movement of passengers in a controlled manner. Shortly thereafter, the front airbags are triggered. The airbags fill in only approximately 50-60 milliseconds. During the phase in which the deceleration of the head and upper body increases, the belt force limiters ensure that occupants are gently cushioned by the air bags. Depending on the system, the time may vary slightly.
