Trying to tap some more into this expanding segment of the automotive industry, Continental announced today the availability of the new Crash Impact Sound Sensing technology for airbags. What sets this sensor apart from the other is the way in which it detects the collision.
The majority of the sensors used to trigger the deployment of the airbags work by detecting changes in acceleration or air pressure. Continental's version is detecting the structure-borne noise generated in a collision. This little attribute is said to allow the new sensor to react some 15 milliseconds faster than its peers.
"Just like a seismograph that measures vibrations when layers of the earth move in an earthquake, Crash Impact Sound Sensing measures sound waves," said Continental's North American Passive Safety Active Driver Assistance (PSAD) Business Unit boss, Dean McConnell.
"Then the collision is analyzed and evaluated within just a few milliseconds using specially developed algorithms and a complex signal analysis, deciding what measures to initiate in order to mitigate the accident's severity. That's critical information when it comes to deploying restraint systems. Better information leads to better decisions."
According to Continental, the new sensor is also cheaper to use than the regular versions. Thanks to the way it works, just one is enough to do the job right, compared to two sensors currently used for airbags.
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