TRW Vehicle Safety Systems has introduced an Active Head Restraint (AHR) system that it said is lighter, less complicated, and uses fewer components than competing systems.
The AHR is independent of seat geometry, occupant size, and seating position, according to TRW. It can be integrated into any headrest height adjuster with minimal impact to the seat, and is adaptable to different seating supplier designs. The design is also reversible, and can easily be reset by consumers, without requiring a dealership visit.
Charlie Steffens, director of safety systems technology for TRW Occupant Safety Systems, said the AHR system is designed to help slow the velocity of the head as it moves backward in a crash scenario and, thus, to reduce the chances of whiplash. “Combining the TRW AHR with crash sensing systems, one can achieve excellent delta-V and threshold discrimination in a variety of rear impact events,” Steffens said, adding that TRW testing has shown excellent results in FMVSS, IIHS, and EuroNCAP test configurations. The AHR also allows for a larger initial backset distance between the occupant's head and the backrest for occupant comfort.
Together with TRW’s electronic control module, the AHR is as much as nine pounds lighter than competitive seat integrated passive head restraint systems.