Abstract: An air bag system that includes impact countermeasures is provided. The apparatus includes an air bag that is attached to a vehicle body via a base plate. The base plate includes a plurality of ribs extending therefrom disposed in a manner such that the plurality of ribs can be transitioned to allow a path for deployment the airbag. Deployment of the air bag protects occupants during certain types of collision and the impact countermeasures, the plurality of ribs, absorbs energy during certain types of impacts with the apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying electric lamps likely to fail due to a violated internal atmosphere monitor voltage through a resistor in order to ascertain a increasing internal resistance of the lamp. The apparatus of the present invention preferably includes a power supply and a resistor in series with the electric lamp. The apparatus further includes a data acquisition system for comparing a voltage drop across the resistor at a predetermined time with a predetermined minimum value. The method of the present invention utilizes the circuit of the apparatus and includes the steps of establishing a predetermined minimum value of voltage drop across the resistor for acceptable lamps, placing a test lamp in series with the battery and resistor, and supplying voltage to the test lamp for a test interval of time.