Leadership Through Participation

Just a few short years ago, there were only three standing committees within the AORC. As our industry has grown and become more international in scope and more technically advanced, our committees have evolved to take on the new issues and challenges. We encourage all our members to take part in the important work of our committee structure and share in the ongoing dialogue that addresses issues of importance to all.

The Public Affairs Committee (PAC) is particularly involved in any educational effort, such as the current program to inform the media and the public about the dangers of reused and false air bags and the availability of optional safety features in new cars. This committee also helps to develop our public relations and educational materials such as the Questions and Answers About Air Bags brochure on advanced restraints. Our Government Affairs Committee (GAC) plays a vital role as liaison between the various agencies of the federal government, other industry organizations and the AORC. The GAC keeps the Council informed on activities in Washington that will impact our industry, assists in the drafting and submission of responses to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and directs AORC's efforts in voicing the views and positions of the restraints industry.

Our technical committees are always addressing the timely issues of the complex automotive restraints industry. The Technical Committee on Inflatable Restraints is currently focusing on the industry response to the new Advanced Restraints Technology regulations under FMVSS208. This committee is key to keeping our members informed on new developments within the Standard and providing technical input to the NHTSA in preparation for implementation of the Standard. The Interior Systems/Occupant Safety Interaction Committee has been closely monitoring the new regulations for child safety seat anchorages and coordinating industry response to any new rulemakings. The SISC Committee will also be working with other industry groups in a program to develop a surrogate child restraint (SCR) for static testing. With the evolving emphasis by the NHTSA on crash avoidance, electronic stability control and other “active safety technologies” our Sensing and Active Safety Committee (SASC) will play a vital role in providing the agency with technical expertise and speaking for the industry in critical future rulemakings. This committee is proactive in its work on emerging issues and also interfaces with other AORC committees on such topics as theft deterrence, belt use telltales and air bag disposal. The new requirements on rollover testing will receive close monitoring from the Occupant Ejection Protection Committee. This committee works with the SASC and the NHTSA to apply advanced window glazing technology, developments in electronic sensing and side curtain air bags to mitigate ejections and injuries in vehicle rollover. The Seat Belt Technical Committee has been active as long as the Council has been in existence. This committee continues to deal with new issues such as global standardization of regulations, international transport of seat belt pretensioners and new belt technologies. The committee
was recently asked by the NHTSA to provide background and technical information on seat belt use “telltales” – an issue of importance to the agency in increasing seat belt use and effectiveness.

The Air Bag Inflator Recycling/Disposal (ABIRD) Committee finds itself at the forefront of several "hot" topics: the handling of end-of-life vehicles in the shredding/recycling process, the use of recycled air bag components and the dangers of "false" replacement bags. The ABIRD Committee is working closely with both our Public Affairs Committee and the Automotive Recyclers Association on these timely issues and is making this information accessible to the general public through the AORC website.

The Safety, Health and Environmental Committee (SHEC) is one of the most active and involved. In addition to serving the public through funded studies on sodium azide in ground water and electronic tagging of inflators for recycling, it also serves our member companies and the industry through the Safety Alert program. The SHEC is continually expanding its mission and outreach throughout the industry to address new challenges and concerns. It is currently writing a new standard for handling of energetic materials in the manufacturing process that will be submitted for incorporation into the national electrical code and interfacing with the ABIRD Committee on ELV issues.

The UN Air Bag Transportation and Classification Committee was formed to address a specific concern in our global industry. This committee has had some success in combating the European effort to reclassify air bag inflators and belt pretensioners as category 1.4G explosives, which would result in enormous cost increases in shipping, packaging and testing for the industry. This important undertaking has involved a cooperative effort with the DOT and other industry organizations to provide more flexible language for the UN regulation. In a joint effort with the ABIRD group, this committee was also successful in obtaining an important DOT shipping exemption for end-of-service life air bag inflators, modules and seat belt pretensioners going to shredders and/or recyclers for all AORC member companies.

The Systems Performance and Numerical Analysis Committee is a forward-looking group dealing with new technologies that will enhance occupant protection, supplement advanced restraints and help meet future trends through numerical simulation and biomechanical modeling. This committee is working closely with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, academic research facilities, technical software developers and other industry associations in developing products, procedures and technologies for the more sophisticated and advanced occupant restraint systems of the future. The Systems Performance and Numerical Analysis Committee focuses on such timely issues as ATD models, human body modeling, injury criteria and limits and biomechanical performance.
Through its committee structure the AORC will continue to provide input, comments and technical expertise as needed to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as the agency prepares the final ruling on advanced technology restraints.