Electronic ABS and production airbag
ABS electrónico y airbag de serie
- Date
- 1978-1981 · confidence high
- Place
- Bosch and Mercedes-Benz, Stuttgart, Germany
- Credited to
- Bosch (ABS on the Mercedes S-Class, 1978); Mercedes-Benz (driver's airbag, 1981); airbag patents by John Hetrick (1953) and Walter Linderer
- People
- 👤 Walter Linderer1892–1952
- Field
- Movement
What it is
A system that prevents wheel lock-up using sensors and electronics, and a bag that inflates within milliseconds in a crash. Together they brought electronics into automotive safety.
What it led to
- Electronic stability control (ESP) and driver-assistance systems
- The halving of road deaths
- The car as a network of sensors and computers
Built on
- Seat belt1885–1930s
- Three-point seat belt1959
- Microprocessor (Intel 4004)1971
- three-point seat belt
- wheel-speed sensors
Made possible
- Electronic stability control (ESP)1995
- Self-driving car (VaMoRs, DARPA Grand Challenge, Waymo)1986-2018
- electronic stability control (ESP)
- automatic emergency braking