Airbags, as used in cars, were first patented in the early 1950s, with key automotive airbag patents filed in 1951–1952 and granted in 1953. Earlier inflatable safety cushions go back even further, to a 1919–1920 patent for protective air-filled devices for vehicles and aircraft.

Quick Scoop: Key Dates

  • 1919–1920: A U.S. patent for an inflatable “airbag” to protect parts of vehicles and aircraft is filed and approved, marking an early air-cushion safety concept.
  • 1951: German engineer Walter Linderer files a patent in Munich for an inflatable cushion that deploys automatically in danger, often cited as the start of modern airbag history.
  • 1952–1953: American engineer John W. Hetrick files (1952) and receives (1953) U.S. Patent No. 2,649,311 for an automotive airbag system, widely credited as the first car airbag patent.

Who “Invented” the Airbag?

Different inventors contributed at different stages:

  • Early concepts : Arthur Parrott and Harold Round (two Birmingham dentists) patented an airbag-like idea for vehicles and aircraft parts around 1919–1920.
  • Automotive airbags : John W. Hetrick in the U.S. and Walter Linderer in Germany independently patented car airbag systems in the early 1950s, with both patents issued in 1953.
  • Practical crash sensing : In 1967, Allen K. Breed developed a “ball‑in‑tube” crash sensor using an electromagnetic system and explosive gas generation, making airbags far more reliable in real crashes.

From Idea to Standard Feature

  • 1950s–1960s: Technical challenges (sensing crashes fast enough, inflating bags quickly and safely) slowed adoption even after Hetrick and Linderer’s patents.
  • Late 20th century: Improvements in crash sensors, inflators, and vehicle design turned airbags into a standard safety feature in production cars worldwide.
  • 21st century and 2020s: Airbag tech continues to evolve with specialized sensors (e.g., acceleration and pressure satellite sensors for different impact types) and integration into advanced safety systems and connected “smart airbag” platforms that can even trigger automated emergency responses.

Mini Takeaway

If the question is “when were airbags invented?” in the everyday car-safety sense, the clearest answer is:

  • Early 1950s, with patents by John W. Hetrick (U.S.) in 1952–1953 and Walter Linderer (Germany) in 1951–1953.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.