The United States mandated front airbags in all new passenger cars beginning in 1998.
The requirement came through Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 and followed federal legislation and rulemaking during the 1980s and 1990s. The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 required passenger cars built after September 1, 1998, to have airbags for both the driver and the front passenger; comparable light-truck requirements followed on a related timetable.
This date is sometimes confused with earlier airbag milestones. In 1984, the government amended FMVSS 208 to require a passive restraint for the driver in cars produced after April 1, 1989. A passive restraint could be an airbag or an automatic seat belt, so that earlier rule did not require dual front airbags in every new car.
The 1998 requirement also coincided with the move toward “advanced” or second-generation airbags. These systems used reduced deployment power and more sophisticated sensing to lessen injury risks associated with some early airbags, especially for children and smaller occupants. Airbags are supplemental restraints: they are designed to work with seat belts, not replace them.