TRW Debuts New Head Protection System for Convertibles

Active and passive safety system developer TRW Automotive announced today the launch of its second generation Head Protection System for Convertibles (HPSC II), which comes as a commitment to constant innovation and affordable safety from the company.

TRW's HPSC II technology is fully integrated in the backrest bolster eliminating the need for an integrated head rest and thereby increasing its compatibility with a broader range of convertible vehicles, at a lower cost. As with the first generation, HPSC II works together with the torso protection system and both can be tuned individually.

"HPSC II is compact and comprises light weight component parts resulting in a lower mass module overall. Like the first generation HPSC, the second generation HPSC also takes into account different load cases and passenger sizes. This adaptability improves the airbags' position in relation to the occupant in the event of a side crash situation," Dirk Schultz, global engineering director, Inflatable Restraint Systems, said in a release.

HPSC II operates via a small, lightweight pyrotechnic gas inflator with a diameter of only 20mm. Based on this SPI-EVO gas inflator technology, the system will ensure a high level of restraint efficiency at an affordable price for future vehicles.

"Safety is an increasingly important factor in the decision making process of the consumer and the industry needs to continuously improve the protection of occupants of such vehicles, with affordable solutions," concluded Schultz.

The Company's first generation HPSC is currently in production with a major European vehicle manufacturer and the second generation of this innovative airbag module concept will be ready for vehicle launches in 2013.