Delphi Develops World's First Commercial Passenger Occupant Detection System For Required Advanced Airbag Systems
16 October 2000
Delphi Develops World's First Commercial Passenger Occupant Detection System For Required Advanced Airbag Systems
Nearly 100 Percent of Vehicles Sold in U.S. Must Have Advanced Airbag Systems
By 2006
DETROIT, Oct. 16 Delphi Automotive Systems
announced today that it is supplying its smart occupant passenger detection
system for Jaguar and four models of Ford and Lincoln-Mercury vehicles. The
Delphi PODS (Passive Occupant Detection System) is the first and only weight-
sensing system of its kind to reach the market with its unique features and
functions. It is first being introduced as standard equipment on the 2001
Jaguar XK sports car series Adaptive Restraint Technology System (ARTS).
"We were able to develop the right solution at the right time," said Dave
Wohleen, executive vice president of Delphi Automotive Systems. "Our early
development of a validated technology to address an anticipated regulatory
ruling is paying off now in major customer programs. The combination of
accurate market forecasting combined with unrelenting commitment and
innovation from our team has put us in the lead in this new market."
The PODS technology enables vehicle manufacturers to improve the
effectiveness of airbag protection through smart deployment or suppression of
the passenger's airbag. The Delphi weight-based system is a critical
component of an advanced airbag system which vehicle-makers must implement to
meet the recent U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208
that was announced in May. The advanced airbag ruling requires manufacturers
to make airbags more effective for a broader weight-range of occupants than
previously required for vehicles sold in the U.S. Beginning in 2004, 35
percent of each manufacturer's fleet sold in the U.S. must be equipped with
advanced airbag systems and the number increases to nearly 100 percent by
2006. The Delphi seat-based sensor determines whether to suppress or allow
passenger airbag deployment based on the passenger's weight or is designed to
suppress the system entirely if the seat is empty.
"This is truly a market 'game changer' which represents an entirely new
safety segment in the vehicle component industry," said Wohleen. PODS
technology joins a distinguished list of earlier safety innovations like
airbags, anti-lock brakes and smart seat restraints."
The Delphi PODS technology consists of a bladder-based weight-sensing
technology mounted under the passenger seat cushion. Using sophisticated
occupant classification algorithms and extensive signal processing, it allows
the vehicle airbag controller to variably deploy or suppress the passenger
airbag. Designed to measure the occupants loading force on the vehicle's
seat, the system classifies the occupant according to weight, and provides the
information to the airbag controller based on the occupant's characteristics,
an important factor in determining whether, and to what extent, the airbag
should be deployed. Also, some repair cost-savings are achieved with vehicles
equipped with the PODS technology since the passenger airbag is designed to
not deploy when the passenger seat is empty.
Unlike systems with manual on/off switches, the passive system requires no
interaction or involvement by the driver or passengers to achieve the
appropriate deployment decision. In addition, the system is nearly universal
to all seat types without affecting seat crashworthiness.
With numerous patents granted and others pending, the Delphi PODS
technology consists of a silicone fluid-filled bladder weight system, produced
by American Components Inc. (ACI) of Dandridge, Tenn., and a pressure sensor
mounted under the seat cushion and an electronics control unit for sensor data
processing. Delphi and ACI have done extensive work to apply the bladder
technology for lumbar supports in seats for specific bladder designs for the
PODS technologies. Delphi altered and adapted its existing expertise in
making pressure sensors for the sensor used on the system. The company
produces millions of pressure sensors a year that have received worldwide
acceptance as the industry standard.
"Providing an intelligent electronics solution has put us ahead of our
competition and will enhance our opportunities for future business growth in
this segment," Wohleen said. "Making efficient use of our experience, along
with a non-evasive integration design, has given Delphi an early opportunity
to set the standard in this new market."
Delphi works with seat manufacturers as well as vehicle systems suppliers
and vehicle manufacturers to integrate the PODS system into their individual
vehicle architectures. For example, in some applications, the Delphi system
is integrated with another supplier's ultrasonic sensing system to provide
additional passenger positioning measurements. While the ultrasonic sensors
constantly monitor the presence and position of the front passenger, the PODS
system detects the presence and approximate seated weight of the occupant. In
other applications, PODS will be integrated with a seat belt tension sensor to
provide a compliant airbag suppression system to meet the new federal
guidelines.
Delphi made its first production air cushion restraint in 1974 for General
Motors, which offered it as an option on certain Cadillac, Buick and
Oldsmobile models.
Occupant-sensing products are anticipated to exceed $3.6 billion in new
revenue opportunities for automotive suppliers by 2006, according to Strategy
Analytics Ltd. (Automotive System Demand report, September 2000). The report
forecasts that the systems will grow at a 70 percent compound annual growth
rate over the next six years.
Multi-national Delphi Automotive Systems, with headquarters in Troy,
Mich., USA, Paris, Tokyo and Sao Paulo, Brazil, is a world leader in mobile
electronics and transportation components and systems technology. Delphi's
three business sectors -- Dynamics & Propulsion; Safety, Thermal & Electrical
Architecture; and Electronics & Mobile Communication -- provide comprehensive
product solutions to complex customer needs. Delphi has approximately 216,000
employees and operates 184 wholly owned manufacturing sites, 44 joint
ventures, 53 customer centers and sales offices and 31 technical centers in 40
countries. Delphi can be found on the Internet at http://www.delphiauto.com
Forward Looking Statements
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harbor for forward-looking statements made by us or on our behalf. All
statements which address operating performance, events or developments that we
expect or anticipate may occur in the future, including statements relating to
volume growth, awarded sales contracts and earnings per share growth or
statements expressing general optimism about future operating results, are
forward looking statements. These statements are made on the basis of
management's views and assumptions; as a result, there can be no assurance
that management's expectations will necessarily come to pass. A list of
factors which could impact future events and performance is included in the
Delphi Automotive Systems Corporation 1999 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.