TRW Automotive has announced its latest Pedestrian Protection System (PPS) developed to address increasing pedestrian fatalities worldwide. The system uses a combination of acceleration and pressure sensing technology to detect a pedestrian impact. According to Peter Lake, Executive Vice President of Sales and Business Development for TRW, “It is estimated that some 35% of global road fatalities involve pedestrians and other road users outside of a traditional four-wheel vehicle, and enhancing their protection is one of the next great frontiers for both active and passive safety systems.” The new PPS senses a pedestrian impact through pressure sensor satellite data, which is measured by flexible tubing located in the vehicle’s front bumper, as well as up to three remote acceleration sensors that detect the location of the impact on the vehicle. The system also utilizes pyrotechnic actuators to raise the rear area of the vehicle’s hood and better protect the pedestrian’s head, decreasing the impact of the most common cause of pedestrian injury and fatality. TRW hopes to begin producing the new system by 2016.
