A new pre-crash system for side impact protection

Abstract

Sub-project 6 of the European Integrated Project APROSYS, implemented within the 6th Framework Programme, has developed an integrated safety system for side impact protection. For this, two different innovative technologies have been applied for the first time as a technology showcase in a car: shape memory alloy based actuators and a pre-crash sensing subsystem using radar and stereo-vision observing the side of a vehicle. Several technical challenges had to be met during development work. The sensing subsystem detects an imminent collision and decides about the probability of a collision. It activates the actuator before the crash occurs in order to reduce intrusion into the passenger compartment. This article describes the sensing subsystem, the actuator subsystem and finally the testing programme that was executed to evaluate the complete system.

Keywords:

• integrated safety
• side pre-crash
• shape memory alloy
• radar
• stereo video

Acknowledgements

Several companies and research institutes worked together to collect the knowledge necessary to develop new technologies in the automotive industry. Continental (Germany) supplied radar sensor and fusion know-how and led the sub-project. Fraunhofer-IITB institute (Germany) developed a stereo camera system. Faurecia (France) provided expertise in automotive interior systems and coordinated the actuator system development. Fraunhofer-LBF institute (Germany) contributed the shape memory alloy technology. CIDAUT (Spain) and Instituto Superior Técnico (Portugal) provided simulations and crash test analyses. Warsaw University of Technology (Poland) studied driver behaviour in simulated side crashes. TNO (Netherlands) analysed accident statistics, helped with the system definition and performed pre-crash tests. Daimler (Germany) coordinated and also performed tests.