The Auto Channel
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
The Largest Independent Automotive Research Resource
Official Website of the New Car Buyer

Valeo Raytheon Systems Named Sole Sensor Supplier To NHTSA-sponsored Naturalistic Driving Study

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Nov. 17, 2003 -- Valeo Raytheon Systems (VRS) has been selected as the exclusive supplier of high performance lane change sensors to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) for a safety research program funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under the U.S. Department of Transportation Intelligent Vehicle Initiative.

According to NHTSA and the U.S. Department of Transportation 2002 accident statistics, more than 413,000 accidents a year are caused by blind spot- related mishaps. Lane change accidents such as side-swipes damage more than 826,000 vehicles and injure more than 160,000 people annually.

VTTI has implemented the Valeo Raytheon Systems' sensor to detect the presence of side vehicles and objects in a study of driver performance during lane change maneuvers. Researchers at VTTI will use the sensor technology to better understand how drivers behave while making lane changes that lead to collisions. Behaviors to be examined as part of this study are driver chosen speed, accelerations, and distance to adjacent vehicles, as well as the driver's corresponding visual check of the surrounding environment. VTTI researchers will use this data to determine the combination of factors that lead to lane change related crashes.

"We are so pleased to be working with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute on this important initiative," said Roland Lartigue, chairman and CEO of Valeo Raytheon Systems, Inc. "VTTI's thorough testing and evaluation of vehicle safety systems over the years has led to some key findings in terms of on-road vehicle safety. We're happy to have been asked to be a part of this program and together learn how to continue to help reduce crashes resulting from lane changes."

VTTI chose Valeo Raytheon's sensor system following a survey of several sensor manufactures and system integrators.

"Through this program, using Valeo Raytheon Systems' blind spot detection sensor technology, we hope to better understand the integration of sensor technology in today's automobiles," said Dr. Thomas A. Dingus, director, VTTI. "The sensors from Valeo Raytheon Systems were selected because they were the only sensors available today that provide the 180 degree broad field of view, and angular resolution within the sensor range. These characteristics of the VRS sensors allow unprecedented accuracy in tracking direction, speed and distance of the target vehicle in a blind spot compared to the host vehicle."

Valeo Raytheon Systems uses these same sensors in their Blind Spot Detection or Lane Change Assistance Systems. VRS expects that initial supplies of original equipment for a production model will begin in 2006. VRS alerts drivers to potential risks presented by vehicles in their blind spot. A single radar sensor on each side of the vehicle continuously scans the adjacent lane of traffic from the rear view mirror to about one or more car length behind the rear bumper. Drivers are notified of potential risks by a lighted icon warning light in the outside rear-view mirror and can be augmented by an audio tone inside the vehicle, at the driver's option.

Valeo Raytheon Systems' Blind Spot Detection technology was introduced in 2002 at the Convergence industry trade-show in Detroit. The system was introduced to the European market at the 2003 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt, Germany.

About Valeo Raytheon Systems, Inc.

Valeo Raytheon Systems, Inc., a joint venture between Valeo and Raytheon is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan and has facilities in Hudson, NH, and Bietigheim, Germany. VRS designs, manufactures and markets radar based sensor systems to help drivers see their driving environment more clearly, and increase drivers confidence and comfort to make better driving decisions.

About Valeo

Valeo is an independent industrial group, fully focused on the design, production and sale of components, integrated systems and modules for cars and trucks and ranks among the world's top automotive suppliers. The Group has 125 plants, 55 R&D centers, 9 distribution centers and employs some 67,000 people in 25 countries. Valeo is headquartered in Paris, France.

About Raytheon

Raytheon Company , with 2002 sales of $16.8 billion, is an industry leader in defense, government and commercial electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs more than 76,000 people worldwide.

About Virginia Tech Transportation Institute

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute is a pre-eminent university research center dedicated to the development and dissemination of advanced transportation knowledge. Research is focused on evaluation and deployment of advanced technology in areas of safety and human factors in driving. As Virginia Tech's largest institute, VTTI employs over 80 research faculty and staff and utilizes the services of over 100 graduate and undergraduate student workers from Virginia Tech. The organization has been chosen as one of the country's three Federal Highway Administration-sponsored Intelligent Transportation Systems research centers of excellence.