The New Frontier Of Intelligent Safety

TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. sketched out how its range of smart safety systems can hold up car manufacturers and car parts in attaining the goal of diminishing the impact of road accidents as well as vehicle emissions. The Auto Channel reported that the TRW Automotive Holdings Corporation’s 'Cognitive Safety Systems' help save assist drivers and their passengers in keeping away from and moderating accidents. Furthermore, TRW showcases a portfolio of fuel efficient technologies to back up its customers in their ecological endeavors.

Over 1.2 million people’s lives ended in tragedy due to road traffic accidents each year according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Research for the European Commission's '2010 Intelligent Car Initiative' quoted that 76 percent of all disasters are caused by driver error.

"We're not talking about just safety, but about intelligent or 'thinking' safety - this means technology that can support drivers and help mitigate the impact of traffic accidents. TRW's Cognitive Safety Systems are at the center of the broadest portfolio of safety technologies of any automotive supplier. By combining this breadth of active and passive technology with our electronics and sensing capabilities, we are able to offer systems that provide tangible safety benefits to drivers and their passengers,” says TRW, Peter Lake, TRW's executive vice president.

"In addition, we have focused on delivering those fuel-efficient technologies we believe have the biggest cost/benefit impact. TRW's range of electrically assisted steering and hybrid enabling braking technologies are proving their efficiency and value across a wide range of models. These systems are key enablers of both intelligent safety and fuel economy."

TRW Automotive has enhanced a set of environmental sensors and car parts which includes long- and medium-range radar, short-range radar, video sensors, steering and roll angle sensors and yaw rate and velocity sensors

"The intelligence in our systems has evolved. In the past, systems were purely reactive to driver inputs; they moved to become responsive and to interpret a driver's intent - but still depended on input (for instance brake assist increases the brake force when the system 'learns' that the pedal force isn't sufficient for the situation). And now, with the appropriate level of information about the driving environment - through the use of multiple sensor sources - the systems can ultimately take autonomous action to lessen the severity of an unavoidable incident - regardless of whether a driver hits the brake pedal or moves the steering wheel,” explains Lake.

Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.