Skip to main content

TRW pedestrian protection system

TRW Automotive Holdings has developed an advanced pedestrian protection system that uses up to three remote acceleration sensors (RAS) located in the front bumper area.
January 26, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
RSS601 TRW Automotive Holdings has developed an advanced pedestrian protection system that uses up to three remote acceleration sensors (RAS) located in the front bumper area. These sensors continuously transmit acceleration signals to an electronic control unit (ECU) which analyses the sensor data. In the event of a collision, the system will determine if the vehicle has struck a human body (of various sizes) or another object. If a pedestrian collision is detected, the system triggers hood lifter mechanisms – located on either underside of the hood – to activate and create more space between the hood and the hard engine components to help reduce potential injury.

"Our goal is a reliable system based on proven technology for the hardware, software and control algorithms," said Martin Thoone, vice president, TRW global electronics engineering. "In the pedestrian protection system, the RAS can be mated to a stand-alone ECU, but the more cost effective solution is to have the software integrated into an existing TRW airbag control unit."

TRW says the preferred integrated option also offers better interactions between the frontal impact sensing and pedestrian impact sensing algorithms; resulting in enhanced overall sensing performance. System advantages also include: sensor packaging flexibility across a wide range of vehicle applications; an electronic communication interface that works within established industry protocols, helping ensure high compatibility and reliability; and the use of TRW's proprietary X-RISA_8 pedestrian impact sensing algorithm.

Related Content

  • February 2, 2012
    Growing ITS capability, a way to increase infrastructure capacity
    Iteris's Greg McKhann makes the case for policymakers to look more seriously at the use of ITS as a means of increasing existing infrastructure capacity
  • February 3, 2012
    Reducing detection costs benefits intersection management
    The continuing, favourable performance-versus-cost situation concerning detection and monitoring technologies is driving the proliferation of intelligence across road networks. The effective and safe management of intersections is a focus for network operators and systems manufacturers alike. The most complicated of road environments, and statistically among the least safe, intersections enjoy particular emphasis in longer-term work on cooperative infrastructure solutions. However there are current developm
  • March 1, 2012
    Continental enhances EV safety
    Continental, the international automotive supplier, has developed a system for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles which will immediately shut off the high-voltage battery in the event of a collision, enabling emergency service personnel to come to the aid of accident victims without the risk of suffering an electric shock.
  • June 24, 2015
    TomTom and Luxoft partner on in-vehicle software
    TomTom is to partner with software development services provider Luxoft Holding in an agreement which will see the integration of TomTom’s navigation engine, NavKit, with Luxoft’s AllView reference design platform for creating an in-vehicle user experience, enabling easy integration of TomTom’s navigation engine into the automotive infotainment solutions provided by Luxoft. Luxoft’s proprietary navigation technologies and its augmented reality and computer vision software framework make its navigation solut