A closer look
To save your life, your steering wheel essentially punches you in the face. When a crash sensor triggers, a solid chemical propellant ignites, creating a massive explosion of nitrogen gas. This blasts the fabric airbag out of the steering column at a blinding 200 mph—literally faster than the blink of an eye. The entire point is to have the bag fully inflated just milliseconds *before* your head whips forward, acting as a violently fast pillow to prevent your brain from getting acquainted with the dashboard.
