At the IAA exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany this week, TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. unveiled a suite of technologies that integrate active and passive safety systems supported by environmental sensors. The systems are said to offer enhanced functionality and to help prevent accidents and/or mitigate their effects.
TRW Automotive President and Chief Executive Officer, John Plant, said the technologies combine the company's strength in sensors, driver assistance systems, braking, steering, slip control and occupant safety.
The integrated safety platform is based on long- and short-range radar, video sensors, steering and roll angle sensors and electronic stability control sensors, which together create a complete picture of the driving environment and enable the most appropriate engagement of the integrated subsystems.
"Data fusion offers the benefit of the comparison of information from multiple sensor sources to make high level safety decisions," said Dr. Alois Seewald, global director of research and development.
Integrated safety systems technologies include linked active and passive systems, combinations of active safety systems and the integration of passive systems. Examples include enhanced braking, using data gathered from adaptive cruise control technology and the vehicle's tire pressure monitoring system; collision warning and emergency braking, using data gathered through radar or object detection/recognition technology, and adaptive restraints, combining TRW's active control retractor (an actuated, reversible seatbelt pretensioner) and radar-enabled adaptive cruise control for optimized seat positioning in anticipation of a crash.
Other technologies include steering torque control, lane support and park assist. The torque control system combines electronic stability control with electrically powered steering to provide over/understeer "coaching" and enable reduced stopping distances. Video sensors read data regarding the lines and features of the road ahead to provide lane departure warning and interface with electrically powered steering to offer lane guide. Electrically powered steering and enhanced environmental sensing combine to steer the vehicle during parallel parking while the driver provides only throttle and braking input.
TRW's platform also includes a pedestrian protection system (PPS) that detects the vehicle striking a pedestrian and lifts the hood to mitigate impact.