TRW Launches Pedestrian Protection System with Pressure and Acceleration Sensors

Published on July 31, 2012 at 7:36 AM

By Kalwinder Kaur

TRW Automotive Holdings has declared the launch of its sophisticated Pedestrian Protection System, which is a consistent and robust system using an integration of pressure and acceleration sensing technologies in order to identify a pedestrian impact.

TRW's latest PPS utilizes pressure sensor satellite data measured via flexible tubing that runs the width of a vehicle's front bumper to detect an impact and identify which side of the vehicle the pedestrian has impacted. The system will also help automakers maintain 5 star safety ratings in Europe, where pedestrian protection accounts for 20 percent of a vehicle's overall score. (PRNewsFoto/TRW Automotive Holdings Corp.)

The PPS by TRW uses pressure sensor satellite data determines through flexible tuning that runs across the vehicles front bumper width along with up to three remote acceleration sensors for detecting the impact and determines which side of the vehicle has been impacted by the pedestrian. This system will also ensure that five star ratings are maintained by automakers as in Europe, pedestrian protection accounts for 20% of the vehicle’s total score.

From the year 2009, CRW has been manufacturing PPS for Porsche and then launched the same with Chrysler. These systems have remote acceleration sensors and an airbag ECU or a dedicated ECU, which causes the PPS algorithm to identify a pedestrian impact and uses head lifters for increasing the gap to the engine of the vehicle as well as help in cushioning pedestrian impact. An impact is detected by the sensors, and the vehicle’s hood rear area is then raised by pyrotechnic actuators to improve head protection of the pedestrian. By this the most severe, most common and most drastic cause of death and pedestrian injury is decreased.

These systems function similarly but have added sensing capability for better robustness and system performance. TRW expects the new system will be ready for production by 2016.