AUTOS: Green Light for Air Bags

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The biggest problem with air bags so far is that they have not sold well: GM last year dropped bags as an optional extra on Cadillacs and other large cars because so few people bought them. The evidence is good for the effectiveness of bags in saving lives and minimizing injuries in city and highway traffic; in 92 crash situations involving cars equipped with air bags, most of the drivers escaped with either no injuries or only minor ones. Detroit still faces the necessity of perfecting a bag system that will work flawlessly every time, even years after the car has left the factory. With a defective bag, the driver would be unprotected—and automakers would spend more time than ever defending themselves against lawsuits.