---

TRW Develops Advanced Air Bag Sensors

20 October 1998

TRW Develops Advanced Air Bag Sensors For Frontal Crush Zones and Complex Crash Situations

    DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 20 -- To further optimize occupant
protection through smart restraint technologies, TRW has developed a cost-
effective solution -- linking two new air bag sensors and its dual-stage air
bag inflator -- that enhances sensing in frontal crush zones and difficult
crash scenarios.
    TRW, the world's largest provider of occupant restraint systems, is
showcasing its new air bag sensors -- the Remote Acceleration Sensor (RAS)
unit and Generation 5 (Gen 5) sensor -- at the Convergence '98 International
Congress on Transportation Electronics here at the Hyatt Regency.
    "TRW's unique RAS and Gen 5 sensors will work in harmony with our dual-
stage air bag inflators to more quickly assess specific crash scenarios and
adjust air bag deployment accordingly," said Ronald D. Sugar, executive vice
president and general manager, TRW Automotive Electronics Group.  "Together,
these smart sensing technologies cost-effectively improve the sensing of front
and side impacts and crash situations that are generally viewed as
problematic."
    Sugar said these "problematic" crash scenarios include offset deformable
barrier crashes, offset pole crash events, and the 30/30 (30 mph/30-degree)
angular conformance test.
    The RAS unit -- a supplemental acceleration sensor -- communicates with
the Gen 5 sensor through a two-way communication bus interface.  Used for
side-impact and frontal-impact crush-zone sensing, the RAS technology works in
concert with other sensors to help discriminate the more difficult crash
situations.
    "In addition to enhancing performance, our RAS unit offers automakers a
variety of functionality and economic benefits," Sugar said.  "This advanced
sensor provides substantial savings compared to existing smart-satellite
sensor technology.  It is not location-dependent, which improves packaging
flexibility, and it has one part number, which reduces part-number tracking
and inventory."
    The Gen 5 air bag crash sensor is a new generation sensor that features a
proprietary crash-sensing algorithm.  This enhanced sensor -- which can
operate independently of the RAS unit -- enhances crash-severity sensing
compared to current production sensors, improves performance in offset
deformable barrier crashes and can also be utilized for occupant sensing
systems, since it serves as an interface with occupant and weight sensors.
    According to Sugar, TRW is currently showing its Gen 5 air bag sensor,
which will be available for production in the year 2001, to automotive
customers worldwide.  The company already has a contract with a major
automaker to produce the RAS air bag sensor in 2001.  TRW began manufacturing
dual-stage inflators for one major automaker earlier this year.  In all, TRW
currently has customer orders to produce more than 400,000 dual-stage
inflators for three automakers worldwide by the end of 1999.
    In addition to the dual-stage inflators and new RAS and Gen 5 sensors, TRW
has produced or is in development on a number of other occupant restraint
applications.  These include sensing for occupant position and weight,
rollovers, rear impacts and seat belt usage, as well as seat-integrated and
door-mounted restraint systems, advanced seat belt technologies and integrated
air bag/steering wheel modules.
    TRW Automotive Electronics Group is a leading producer of electronic
safety, security and convenience systems for the global automotive market.  In
addition to air bag crash sensors and smart restraint electronics, its major
product lines include remote keyless entry systems, switch and control
systems, advanced theft-deterrent and security systems, driver information
systems, body controllers, tire monitoring systems and electrically assisted
steering control units, as well as engineered fastening systems.
    TRW Inc. is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, and has sales of
nearly $12 billion.  The company is one of the largest independent automotive
components suppliers in the world with $7 billion in worldwide automotive
sales.  The company also provides advanced technology products and services
for the space, defense and information technology markets worldwide.