The main exporters of airbags in the automotive industry were Mexico, the United States, Germany, China and Poland.In the first position, with a year-on-year growth of 11%, Mexico is at the top of this ranking, with 1,936 million dollars.According to Autoliv, the airbag module is designed to inflate extremely quickly and then deflate rapidly during a collision or impact. It consists of the container, an airbag cushion and an inflator. 

Exporters of airbags

What is the purpose of these products? To give occupants cushioning and restraint during an accident to prevent any impact or injury caused by the impact between the occupant and the vehicle interior.The other exporters had the following results in 2023, at annual rates:

• United States: $1.26 billion, +6 percent.
• Germany: $965 million, +8 percent.
• China: $870 million, +6 percent.
• Poland: $827 million, +12 percent.

These foreign sales also include parts of the products in question.

Global market

Autoliv expects the airbag market, where the company has a global market share of about 47%, to grow primarily as a result of higher installation rates of inflatable curtains, side airbags and knee airbags. In addition, the front center airbag is expected to start contributing to market growth.Components related to the operation of these products range from sensors and control modules, to inflation mechanisms, restraint harnesses, and other elements required for implementation and operation.

Quality control

On September 5, 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued an initial decision to recall approximately 52 million driver and passenger frontal air bag inflators manufactured by ARC and Delphi Automotive Systems because NHTSA determined that the air bag inflators contain a safety defect that causes field ruptures.Certain of the ARC inflators included in the airbag modules that Autoliv or its subsidiaries supplied following the acquisition of certain Delphi assets in 2009 were included in that initial decision.