Four New Customers Select Delphi's Passive Occupant Detection System

TROY, Mich., June 25 Delphi Corp.announced today four additional customers for its cutting-edge RECOGNITION(TM) passive occupant detection system. With the new contracts, Delphi revenue for the systems has the potential to reach $350 million in 2004 and to grow well beyond that by 2006 given current legislation timelines. Specific details regarding the new customer contracts remain confidential at the customers' request.

"Delphi has moved rapidly to design technologies that help our customers make cars and trucks even safer for occupants," said Jeff Owens, president of Delphi Delco Electronics Systems. "The continued demand for our Recognition brand of occupant sensing technologies validates our decision to pioneer safety technologies. Being first to deliver a passenger weight classification occupant detection system allowed Delphi to establish a leadership position in the market and we plan to continue to introduce safety innovations."

The RECOGNITION passive occupant detection system includes a seat-based sensor that provides information to the airbag computer. It utilizes a silicone-based weight-sensing technology mounted under the passenger seat cushion. Using sophisticated occupant classification algorithms and extensive signal processing, the vehicle airbag controller is notified to deploy or suppress the passenger airbag.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for every age from four through 33 years old. Delphi's RECOGNITION system helps vehicle manufacturers meet the advanced airbag system specifications required by U.S. regulation for all vehicles by model year 2006.

Another key feature of Delphi's RECOGNITION system is it requires no interaction or involvement by the driver or passenger to make the appropriate deployment decision.

In addition, the product is nearly universally adaptable to all seat types without adversely affecting seat crashworthiness or comfort. Delphi is working with seat and vehicle systems suppliers and vehicle manufacturers to integrate the RECOGNITION(TM) passive occupant detection system into each vehicle's interior. The system can also be integrated with other components such as a seat belt tension sensor or ultrasonic sensing system for additional passenger positioning information.

Delphi announced last year that it would provide the passive occupant detection systems to Ford and GM. According to Owens, Delphi now has a total of six customers for the systems.

"Market forecasts show a potential compound annual growth rate of more than 60 percent for vehicle safety systems," added Owens. "Given that growth rate and the high level of customer acceptance for this product, we see great potential to expand other elements of our integrated safety system to support these customers."

Delphi's portfolio of advanced safety products includes:

-- FOREWARN(R) collision warning and avoidance systems - Laser, radar, infrared and long-range sensing devices to help provide warnings and/or aid for backing up, forward collisions, blind spots, lane changes and lane or roadway departures;

-- Driver monitoring systems - A combination of biological sensors, eye- tracking devices and vehicle performance monitoring to determine driver attention and alertness;

-- STAR airbags - A customized airbag that offers advanced restraint capability to help provide greater protection in both belted and unbelted situations;

-- Vehicle stability systems - A variety of products including traction control, dynamic body control, drive by wire, and advanced braking and steering systems that help improve vehicle stability and control;

-- Adaptive seatbelt systems - Devices that help provide additional occupant protection by removing slack from or coupling the seatbelt to reposition the occupant for improved protection during a collision; and

-- A host of other sensors and systems to help provide a means to optimize safety in any driving state from normal to collision- avoidable to collision-unavoidable and even after a crash occurs.