How Airbags Work, And How They Can Fail

Millions of the safety devices have turned deadly. It's been a brutal year for motorists and for an industry safeguard that was, until now, seen as an unmitigated lifesaver. Last spring, several automakers began recalling vehicles because their airbag supplier, Takata Corp., had shipped bags with botched inflators. It turns out the inflators can send shrapnel spewing through a cabin with such force that they leave victims with what police have said look like gunshot and stab wounds. (In one case, cops actually started a homicide investigation.) Global giants like Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Mazda, BMW, Subaru, and Pontiac were forced to recall 19...

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