TRW Unveils Self-Adaptive Load Limiting Seat Belt That Adjusts According to Occupant Size
LIVONIA, Mich., June 7 -- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. , a global leader in active and passive safety, announced the launch of its self-adaptive seat belt load limiting technology that is capable of automatically adapting with respect to different body sizes of passengers.
The Self-Adaptive Load Limiter (SALL) system, which operates without the need for sensors to gather data input and therefore represents a cost effective solution, has been designed to meet the needs of rear seat occupants and is now in production on the Mercedes E Class.
Harald Lutz, TRW's engineering director of seat belt systems, explained: "Conventional load limiters for seat belt systems are intended to provide protection for the full range of passenger weights, a standardized approach which by its very nature requires that the system is adapted to fit larger passengers, represented by the 95th percentile male Hybrid III dummy."
TRW's self-adaptive seat belt load limiters can adjust the force level according to the amount of webbing that an occupant pulls out when they are buckled up. This enables the system to identify the size of the occupant and classify it into two categories, so that in a crash situation, a lower load level is triggered for a smaller passenger and a higher load level for a larger passenger.
Lutz concluded: "While conventional load limiting technology has proven to have a positive impact on reducing injuries in car accidents historically, it still shows some limitations in its standardized approach. Not every passenger conforms to the same height and weight group and the new self-adaptive technology recognizes this, further improving the load limiting approach with a cost effective solution, when compared with solutions which operate using sensor technology, which makes a significant difference."
About TRW
With 2009 sales of $11.6 billion, TRW Automotive ranks among the world's leading automotive suppliers. Headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, USA, the Company, through its subsidiaries, operates in 26 countries and employs over 60,000 people worldwide. TRW Automotive products include integrated vehicle control and driver assist systems, braking systems, steering systems, suspension systems, occupant safety systems (seat belts and airbags), electronics, engine components, fastening systems and aftermarket replacement parts and services. All references to "TRW Automotive", "TRW" or the "Company" in this press release refer to TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated. TRW Automotive news is available on the internet at www.trw.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains statements that are not statements of historical fact, but instead are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. All forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties which can cause our actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements, including those set forth in our Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 (our "Form 10-K") and our Form 10-Q for the quarter ended April 2, 2010, such as: the financial condition of our customers adversely affecting us or the viability of our supply base; disruptions in the financial markets adversely impacting the availability and cost of credit negatively affecting our business; any shortage of supplies adversely affecting us; any further material contraction in automotive sales and production adversely affecting our results, liquidity or the viability of our supply base; escalating pricing pressures from our customers; commodity inflationary pressures adversely affecting our profitability or supply base; our dependence on our largest customers; costs of product liability, warranty and recall claims and efforts by customers to adversely alter contract terms and conditions concerning warranty and recall participation; costs or liabilities relating to environmental, health and safety regulations; limitations on available cash and access to additional capital due to our substantial debt; strengthening of the U.S. dollar and other foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations impacting our results; any increase in the expense of our pension and other postretirement benefits or the funding requirements of our pension plans; risks associated with non-U.S. operations, including foreign exchange risks and economic and political uncertainty in some regions; work stoppages or other labor issues at our facilities or at the facilities of our customers or suppliers; assertions by or against us relating to intellectual property rights; the possibility that our largest stockholder's interests will conflict with our or our other stockholders' interests; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in our Form 10-K and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any update or revision to any of the forward-looking statements.
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