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.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Sorting myth from reality in vehicle automation
    June 2, 2016
    Bob Denaro looks beyond the hype surrounding autonomous vehicles to the challenges that still need to be overcome. Automated vehicles (AVs) may be the perfect storm – in a positive way - with the automobile manufacturers, the government and consumers all embracing the emergence of a transformational new technology and product.
  • Internet-connected cars their functionality and safety challenges
    February 27, 2013
    Internet-connected cars are poised to flood the market in the near future. Pete Goldin considers the functionality they offer, the technology they use and the challenge they represent in terms of driver safety. Many vehicles on the road today offer some sort of inter­net connectivity and experts agree that this capability will become a competi­tive differentiator in the automotive industry in the next few years. The era of the digital vehicle, it seems, has started. “We clearly see that cars in the near f
  • Ford, MIT project measures pedestrian traffic, predict demand for electric shuttles
    July 28, 2016
    Ford Motor Company and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are collaborating on a new research project that measures how pedestrians move in urban areas to improve certain public transportation services, such as ride-hailing and point-to-point shuttles services. The project will introduce a fleet of on-demand electric vehicle shuttles that operate on both city roads and campus walkways on the university’s campus. The vehicles use LiDAR sensors and cameras to measure pedestrian flow, which ultimate
  • UR:BAN developing driver assistance and traffic management systems
    May 16, 2014
    European vehicle manufacturers, including BMW, Opel and Mercedes-Benz and MAN, are taking part in a new project to develop advanced driver assistance and traffic management systems for cities. The focus is on the human element in all aspects of mobility and traffic and takes the form of three approaches: Cognitive Assistance; Networked Traffic Systems; and Human Factors in Traffic. The four-year UR:BAN project (from a German acronym for Urban Space: User-oriented assistance systems and network managemen