Delphi supplies first dual-depth passenger air bag to GM

Delphi Corp. is supplying two General Motors vehicles with dual-depth front passenger air bags that can deploy in a small or large size based on set position, seatbelt use and crash severity, and can deploy with two different inflation pressures. It differs from conventional dual-stage air bags that inflate to a single shape with different pressures. The dual-depth air bag will be standard on the 2006 Cadillac DTS and 2006 Buick Lucerne.

"The Delphi dual-depth airbag system uses common sense to help protect people of all shapes and sizes under a multitude of crash conditions," said Jeff Owens, vice president of Delphi Corporation and president of Delphi Electronics & Safety. He added that the system is fully compatible with existing restraint electronics products.

Automakers are not required to make any vehicle architecture changes to incorporate the dual-depth air bag into their vehicles.