Title: Validation of pre-crash systems with vehicle hardware-in-the-loop experiments

Authors: Olaf Gietelink, Paul Lemmen, Floris Leneman, Minoo Shah, Walter Kosiak, Robert Cashler

Addresses: TNO Science and Industry, Business Unit Automotive, P.O. Box 756, Helmond 5700 AT, The Netherlands. ' TNO Science and Industry, Business Unit Automotive, P.O. Box 756, Helmond 5700 AT, The Netherlands. ' TNO Science and Industry, Business Unit Automotive, P.O. Box 756, Helmond 5700 AT, The Netherlands. ' Delphi Corporation, 1401 Crooks Road, Troy, MI 48084-7106, USA. ' Delphi Corporation, 1401 Crooks Road, Troy, MI 48084-7106, USA. ' Delphi Corporation, 1401 Crooks Road, Troy, MI 48084-7106, USA

Abstract: Pre-Crash Systems (PCSs) use an environment sensor to improve the effectiveness of reversible passive safety restraints by activating them before a collision occurs. Obviously, a PCS should meet very high safety and reliability requirements. A PCS must therefore be thoroughly tested for a wide range of (near-)collision scenarios. This paper presents a new method for the validation of a PCS using Vehicle Hardware-In-the-Loop (VEHIL) experiments. The VEHIL laboratory enables collision-free testing of a PCS-equipped vehicle in a Hardware-In-the-Loop (HIL) environment, where only the relative motion between host and target vehicle is reproduced. With accurate and repeatable VEHIL experiments the validation of a PCS is carried out safer, cheaper and more efficient. The added value of VEHIL is demonstrated with a prototype PCS. This system uses a radar system to detect a pre-crash situation and a reversible belt retractor to bring the occupant in an optimal position for the crash.

Keywords: pre-crash systems; PCSs; automotive radar; hardware-in-the-loop; HIL simulation; accidentology; vehicle safety; environment sensors; reversible belt retractors; passive safety restraints; near crash tests; collision-free testing; optimal positioning.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVS.2007.012591

International Journal of Vehicle Safety, 2007 Vol.2 No.1/2, pp.185 - 205

Published online: 25 Feb 2007 *

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