It seems that just a few years ago air bags in cars were exotic. Today their numbers in some models are up to 10. At first glance, it’s a simple bag made of a smooth, elastic synthetic material. But the fabric of an airbag needs to be very thin and strong, during the accident even the smallest stitches should not not be in the contact area with driver’s face and body. The cushion should’nt also become a trampoline, it must be able to ease the gas pressure on time. In fact, many manufacturers have ceased to sew pillows using the fabric that breaks letting the air out. When packing the airbag they put talc powder to prolong the cushion’s life.

The number of embedded airbags is growing rapidly. Just recently, the car with two airbags was considered as luxury and now having a dozen would not surprise an average driver. All bags are working on one principle but there are many differences. For example, the driver cushions size ranges between 60 and 80 liters, while the passenger needs a much bigger 130-160 liter volume. Side impacts are often no less dangerous than frontal. Naturally, the car manufacturers could not leave it unnoticed over the past 10 years and many cars got their side-bags. They are much smaller than the frontal airbags, the volume ranges from 15 to 25 liters. There are also different forms. Along with the conventional «mushroom type», there are extended “long rollers” in the shoulder area and “inflatable shutters”, reliably protecting the head of the driver and rear passengers. You can more and more often find a pillow under the front panel or on the floor as the driver’s and passenger’s legs should also be protected. And the last invention of “Toyoda Gosei” are the cushions to protect pedestrians. Two rollers fired from the radiator grills and a slit between the hood and windshield, designed to minimize the damage of adult pedestrians, and children.Airbags for motorcycles and scooters are already installed by the customer’s request, in Italy for example, perhaps soon, and they will be widely used on all motorcycles.

Interesting facts about airbags:

* Passenger airbag is usually twice as big as the driver’s due to the greater distance from the dashboard.
* To make an airbag fill up the full volume it needs 25-50 m/sec (for a comparison an eye blink takes about 100 m/sec)
* Airbag opening speed reaches 320 km/h
* “Renault” car maker installs a small airbag in frontal part of the driver’s seat to prevent diving under the seat belt.

The good: The 2006 Acura RL impresses us with its live traffic display, its voice-command system, and its high-quality audio. It also adds sophisticated collision-avoidance technologies and adaptive cruise control.

The bad: The 2006 Acura RL’s onscreen interface is rather nonintuitive, and its Bluetooth system doesn’t copy over cell phone address books. The engine moves the car fine but feels a little buzzy for a $50,000-plus car.

The bottom line: Our criticisms of the 2006 Acura RL are minor compared to all it has to offer. It’s marketed as a high-tech car and delivers on all fronts, from live traffic on its navigation screen to cutting-edge driving technology.

Specifications: Body style: sedan ; Trim levels: 3.5 ; Available Engine: Gas

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The Acura RL looks sleek and sporty, attractive if not interesting. The sleek exterior styling is designed to suggest abundant power.

In front, a dramatically sloping hood leads down to an aggressive front fascia with angular headlight treatments, Acura’s signature five-sided grille, and distinctive lower air intake openings. The front end is smooth with nicely integrated bumpers and headlamps.

The rear is short to reduce aerodynamic drag and improve maneuverability. The rear three-quarter view is vaguely suggestive of some of the newest designs from BMW, which are controversial. Viewed from the side, the rear deck seems separated from the fenders.

Inside the Acura RL is a luxurious and functional cabin. The seats are comfortable for cruising yet supportive for hard driving. The wide armrests have a nice soft feel. This is a roomy car, though the back seats don’t offer as much room as some of the competition’s do.

The cabin is finished in handsome leather with attractive stitching. Real wood is used sparingly, tastefully around the cabin and it’s not too shiny. Acura says it used the finest materials and exacting attention to detail in the interior design. It shows.

As mentioned, everything described here comes as standard equipment, including the navigation system with voice recognition, which features a large, eight-inch screen. The AcuraLink satellite communications system delivers in-car traffic information in real time for major cities. It’s an impressive feature that could make commuting easier by helping drivers avoid heavily congested areas. It works best in cities that have the infrastructure to support it, and Los Angeles is the best example. Traffic flow is shown by color-coding the highways in three levels (low, normal, and hopeless). Unlike radio reports, which just hit the highlights and don’t provide detailed instructions for getting around tangles, this system uses live data from the highway departments and technology developed by XM Satellite Radio to give the RL driver the level of detail needed to change routes on the fly. The RL is on the leading edge of this technology, and commuters may find it’s well worth taking the time to fully master this navigation aid.

The Acura RL is a driver’s car, with agile handling and a taut, poised feel. It grips the corners, has excellent transient response and stops in a short distance. The ride is a nice balance, firm enough to feel expansion joints but not so firm as to be harsh, and it cruises easily and comfortably. The cabin is quiet, benefiting from a noise cancellation system that reduces road noise and tire noise but especially boom from the engine exhaust.

Acura’s Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive improves the handling of the RL considerably. SH-AWD distributes power not only between the front and rear wheels but also between the left and right rear wheels. The system controls this distribution of power precisely to enhance handling. Essentially, the system overdrives the outside rear wheel in corners to reduce the understeer that is inherent with all-wheel-drive layouts. As a result, the RL doesn’t plow in corners. It simply motors around them.

Acura’s 3.5-liter V6 engine generates 290 horsepower at 6200 rpm and 260 pound-feet of torque at 5000 rpm. That’s impressive power from a V6. (You may note the 2005 RL was rated at 300 horsepower. That’s because of a new horsepower rating system set by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The 2006 RL is every bit as powerful as the 2005 model; nothing has changed. It’s just measured differently.)

Luxury cars with V8 models offer more power and more low-end response, but the RL delivers solid performance. The Acura RL can accelerate from 0-60 mph in less than 7 seconds, so it can compete with a BMW 530i. Acura’s 24-valve, single overhead-cam, aluminum VTEC V6 combines strong power with low emissions and reasonable fuel economy: The RL meets the government’s stringent standards as a LEV2-ULEV Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle and earns an EPA-estimated City/Highway 18/26 mpg.

The Acura RL embraces the agile handling and quick acceleration performance of a sports sedan. The RL is easy to drive and helps keep its drivers out of harm’s way, with the latest in all-wheel drive technology. Yet it rides nicely, coddles its occupants and exudes a sporty, luxurious ambience. Technology enhances convenience, comfort and safety. The new Collision Mitigation Braking System, optional on the 2006 RL, significantly enhances safety.