IAA 2007: A better connection: Siemens VDO's modern safety systems offer improved protection before, during, and after an accident
Regensburg/Germany, September 11, 2007
Independent electronic safety systems can contribute to avoiding accidents or mitigating their effects. Siemens VDO is going a step further with its holistic Intelligent Passive and Active Safety (IPAS) approach, which networks driver assistance systems with active and passive safety systems to boost safety and comfort. For example, the Siemens VDO compact modular LiCam sensor combines a tiny Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) camera and a lidar sensor to provide information on the surrounding area. Another innovation is the Wedgetronic Seatbelt, which individually adjusts belt restriction force to the vehicle occupant and the specific situation in the event of an accident.
Until now, driver assistance and safety systems worked autonomously to protect the driver, passengers and other parties involved in traffic. With IPAS, Siemens VDO is now linking the systems together to promote the exchange and bundling of relevant information for more quick and effective use by advanced safety systems. The systems act and react in ways that are calibrated to interact and complement one another and individually adapted to the respective situation. This applies to all the phases occurring before, during, and after an accident.
Siemens VDO has defined six phases of an accident situation:
Phase 1: In normal driving operation, the pro.pilot driver assistance systems use environmental sensors, such as the camera, lidar and radar, to ensure greater comfort and safety in normal driving situations. The pro.pilot functions support the driver, for example, in maintaining safe following distance (Adaptive Cruise Control, or ACC), when changing lanes (Lane Departure Warning, or LDW) and when driving at night (Night Vision).
A new aspect of these systems being added in the future is LiCam, a combination of lidar sensor and CMOS camera in a single housing. The CMOS camera is a very small, high-performance image sensor often used by digital cameras. LiCam effectively supplies the driver assistance systems with the necessary environmental and traffic information. The lidar sensor supplies data on vehicles in front of the car. The CMOS camera senses the course of the road lanes using lane markings and limit lines and is reliably in changing light conditions, on poor roads, and in curves. In addition, the camera provides information for the traffic sign recognition system and the high beam assistant. The fusion of data from both the lidar and the CMOS sensors yields substantial advantages, such as optimum lane attribution and object recognition, resulting in “Full Speed Range ACC" functionality. Finally, LiCam's compact construction saves installation space when compared to the current individual packaging of the two systems.
Phase 2: In the second “preDICT” phase, the driver assistance systems identify critical driving situations. The driver is warned of a potential risk to provide the best possibility to purposefully avert it. Congruently, supporting measures, such as the careful buildup of braking pressure, are activated to help the driver correctly react to the situation.
Phase 3: If there is a high probability of an accident and the severity of a collision can be estimated, various active safety systems prepare for a possible collision during the “preACT” phase. Reversible belt tighteners are activated, seats that can be electrically repositioned are adjusted and side windows and the sunroof might be closed as a precaution.
Phase 4: In the fourth “preCRASH” phase taking place immediately before an unavoidable accident, measures are initiated to mitigate it as much as possible. This may include automatic braking and steering and chassis system intervention.
Phase 5: The fifth "inCRASH" phase defined in IPAS provides for activation of passive protection measures during the accident. Acceleration, pressure and sound sensors very quickly detect the location in which the vehicle has been hit and assess the severity of the impact. By combining this information with the data collected in the preceding phases, the system determines the optimum restraint strategy for the circumstances. The necessary airbags are triggered and the Siemens VDO adaptive belt force limiter (Wedgetronic Seatbelt) may also be used.
The Wedgetronic Seatbelt is an innovative, electronically controlled safety belt system that, by contrast to conventional systems, continuously adjusts the belt force to the occupant and the potential accident situation. This is achieved through the use of an electronically regulated belt braking system that takes advantage of the self-reinforcement principle to generate and manage braking force, thereby enabling extremely short reaction times and particularly sensitive braking. To accomplish this, the Siemens VDO experts employ the electronic wedge brake (EWB) idea. Simply put, the Wedgetronic Seatbelt retractor “converts” the braking system's own momentum into the belt tension needed for the specific situation. In normal operation, the system helps ensure the safety belt properly fits the occupant, while offering the greatest possible freedom of motion. In the event of an accident, the safety belt is tightened to the optimal degree dictated by the accident situation and the occupant's size and weight. This has the potential to translate into the reduction of the number and severity of injuries caused by the safety belt. The Wedgetronic Seatbelt not only enhances safety, but also economic feasibility by allowing the same universal safety belt system to be used for nearly all future vehicle platforms. The system can be easily adjusted to varying vehicle characteristics by of software configuration.
Phase 6: After the accident in the “postCRASH” phase, a telematics unit immediately sends an automatic distress call to the emergency services. This emergency call may also include information on the severity of the incident and possibly the type of injuries or damage.
Siemens VDO Automotive AG (Regensburg) is one of the world’s leading automotive electronics and mechatronics suppliers, earning approximately 70 percent of its total annual sales in this segment. As an automotive industry development partner, the company's innovative products and solutions enhance safety, driving comfort, cost-effectiveness and performance, as well as reduce emissions and keep drivers informed and in touch with the world. In the 2006 business year (Sept. 30, 2006), Siemens VDO generated sales of more than 10 billion euros and achieved results of 669 million euros based on US-GAAP, which corresponds to an EBIT margin of 6.7 percent.
Reference Number: SV 200709.001 en
