The Air Cushion Restraint System (ACRS), was developed by General Motors in the early 1970s, and consisted of both a driver's and passenger's side air bag, along with a lap belt and status indicator light. The system was first installed in a test fleet of 1,000 1973 Chevrolet Impala 4-door sedans, painted in a unique green color. The exterior of these Impalas were identical to regular 1973 production models, but used a 1974-style Oldsmobile instrument panel and brand-new steering wheel design. The chassis of these cars were reinforced, and each Impala was equipped with a high-performance 350 cubic-inch V8 engine, the same one used in the Corvette.
ACRS used impact sensors mounted in the vehicle's front bumper in order to deploy the airbags, one of which was installed in a unique four-spoke steering wheel, and the other installed in the dashboard on the passenger side of the vehicle. The passenger-side airbag was a "dual-stage" airbag, meaning that the impact sensors determined the force used to deploy the airbag based on the severity of the impact.
Of the original fleet of Chevrolets, virtually all were eventually disposed of except one, which is currently fully restored. The only reported fatality was an unrestrained infant killed in a crash when the passenger's side airbag deployed in one of the Impalas.[1]
In the early 1990s, two of the original test Impalas were located, one in a junkyard, the other, stored in a shed. Although in rundown condition, both cars were able to refurbished enough to be crash-tested, and the airbags deployed perfectly in both vehicles. [2]
Due to success of the test fleet, GM decided to offer the ACRS as an option for full-size Cadillacs, Oldsmobiles, and Buicks for the 1974 model year.[3] Only 10,000 ACRS units were installed for the life of the option, and buyers of these as used cars often were not even aware that they had the airbags, unless they deployed in a collision. GM advertised the system and it worked well, saving lives. ACRS-optioned cars were exempt from the 1974 Federal seat-belt standard that required belts to be fastened before the engine would start. Lap belts were provided for front seat passengers. Front shoulder belts were considered unnecessary, and were not provided. However, GM felt not enough were purchased to justify the cost of producing it, so the option was withdrawn after the 1976 model year.
The ACRS system was coded as Regular Production Option AR3.
GM did not introduce air bags on their automobiles again until the 1988 model year as a $350 option on the Oldsmobile Delta 88.[4]
Referencesedit
^"1974-1976 Cadillac, Buick, and Oldsmobile Air Cushion Restraint System". Automotivemileposts.com. 1973-12-06. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
^"Impalas' 1973 experimental airbags held up". 21 October 2011.
^"GM, Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC, Saturn, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Airbag, Air Bag, EDR, Event Data Recorder, SDM, Black Box, Accident Crash Data Retrieval, Recovery, Download, Bosch Vetronix CDR , Air Bag Recalls, Recall, TSB, History, Air Bag Deployment Links, Fake Air Bag Warning". Airbagcrash.com. 1993-02-07. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
^The Christian Science Monitor (1988-05-19). "There's an auto air bag in your future. Car company resistance to air bags has crumpled, and the impact-triggered devices will be featured on a numb..." The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
October 31, 2023
cushion, restraint, system, editor, performed, search, found, that, sufficient, sources, exist, establish, subject, notability, these, sources, used, expand, article, described, edit, summaries, found, talk, page, article, include, original, research, omit, si. An editor has performed a search and found that sufficient sources exist to establish the subject s notability These sources can be used to expand the article and may be described in edit summaries or found on the talk page The article may include original research or omit significant information about the subject Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Air Cushion Restraint System news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Air Cushion Restraint System ACRS was developed by General Motors in the early 1970s and consisted of both a driver s and passenger s side air bag along with a lap belt and status indicator light The system was first installed in a test fleet of 1 000 1973 Chevrolet Impala 4 door sedans painted in a unique green color The exterior of these Impalas were identical to regular 1973 production models but used a 1974 style Oldsmobile instrument panel and brand new steering wheel design The chassis of these cars were reinforced and each Impala was equipped with a high performance 350 cubic inch V8 engine the same one used in the Corvette ACRS used impact sensors mounted in the vehicle s front bumper in order to deploy the airbags one of which was installed in a unique four spoke steering wheel and the other installed in the dashboard on the passenger side of the vehicle The passenger side airbag was a dual stage airbag meaning that the impact sensors determined the force used to deploy the airbag based on the severity of the impact Of the original fleet of Chevrolets virtually all were eventually disposed of except one which is currently fully restored The only reported fatality was an unrestrained infant killed in a crash when the passenger s side airbag deployed in one of the Impalas 1 In the early 1990s two of the original test Impalas were located one in a junkyard the other stored in a shed Although in rundown condition both cars were able to refurbished enough to be crash tested and the airbags deployed perfectly in both vehicles 2 Due to success of the test fleet GM decided to offer the ACRS as an option for full size Cadillacs Oldsmobiles and Buicks for the 1974 model year 3 Only 10 000 ACRS units were installed for the life of the option and buyers of these as used cars often were not even aware that they had the airbags unless they deployed in a collision GM advertised the system and it worked well saving lives ACRS optioned cars were exempt from the 1974 Federal seat belt standard that required belts to be fastened before the engine would start Lap belts were provided for front seat passengers Front shoulder belts were considered unnecessary and were not provided However GM felt not enough were purchased to justify the cost of producing it so the option was withdrawn after the 1976 model year The ACRS system was coded as Regular Production Option AR3 GM did not introduce air bags on their automobiles again until the 1988 model year as a 350 option on the Oldsmobile Delta 88 4 References edit 1974 1976 Cadillac Buick and Oldsmobile Air Cushion Restraint System Automotivemileposts com 1973 12 06 Retrieved 2020 04 27 Impalas 1973 experimental airbags held up 21 October 2011 GM Buick Chevrolet Cadillac GMC Saturn Pontiac Oldsmobile Airbag Air Bag EDR Event Data Recorder SDM Black Box Accident Crash Data Retrieval Recovery Download Bosch Vetronix CDR Air Bag Recalls Recall TSB History Air Bag Deployment Links Fake Air Bag Warning Airbagcrash com 1993 02 07 Retrieved 2020 04 27 The Christian Science Monitor 1988 05 19 There s an auto air bag in your future Car company resistance to air bags has crumpled and the impact triggered devices will be featured on a numb The Christian Science Monitor Retrieved 2020 04 27 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Air Cushion Restraint System amp oldid 1160845857, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
