Laser Ablated Removable Car Seat Covers for Reliable Deployment of Side-torso Airbags

In the event of a collision, the safe and reliable deployment of side-torso airbags through removable car seat covers that use tear-seam technology has been recently questioned. It is well known that a side-torso airbag system in automotive seats can reduce injuries and prevent fatalities in the event of a collision. Removable car seat covers suitable for side-torso airbag systems are popular accessories in the automotive industry from the perspective of upholstery protection and aesthetics. This study demonstrated a better-suited technology in which laser ablation down the side panel of removable car seat covers, produced a pre-determined strength within a weakened zone that allowed a reliable airbag deployment in the event of a collision. This paper investigates the effect of laser power as a key factor in the laser ablation process and its influence on the bursting strength of the car seat cover materials. The laser-ablation of the removable car seat covers can ensure the consistent airbag deployment under environmental conditions ranging between as ambient (22 ± 2°C), cold (-35 ± 2°C) and hot (85 ± 2°C). The durability and deployment performance of these car seat covers after UV exposure were also investigated