The occurrence of a vehicle collision is determined using an output signal of one satellite sensor disposed offset from a vehicle center line. A control device for an occupant protection device includes an acceleration sensor disposed at a front position of a vehicle; and a control unit that determines the occurrence of a collision based on an output signal of the acceleration sensor and operates an occupant protection device. The acceleration sensor is one satellite sensor disposed so as to be offset in a vehicle width direction from a vehicle front center position. The control unit includes: a first threshold setting unit that sets one or more thresholds so as to correspond to a traveling speed of the vehicle or a relative speed signal related to the relative speed between a vehicle and another movable objects such as another vehicle; and a determining unit that compares a level of the output signal of the acceleration sensor with the one or more thresholds to determine the occurrence of a collision.

The drive assist apparatus detects an object around an own vehicle, and detects a moving direction of the detected object when the detected object is relatively approaching the own vehicle. The drive assist apparatus predicts a movement prediction position to which the object will move, and executes drive assist upon the movement prediction position being a collision prediction position. The collision prediction position is a position where, if the object relatively moves to the movement prediction position, there is a possibility that the object will collide with the own vehicle. The drive assist includes at least one of a task of avoiding a collision between the object and the own vehicle, and a task of mitigating a damage due to the collision. The drive assist apparatus determines an execution timing of the drive assist as a function of the moving direction detected by the moving direction detection means, and the collision prediction position.

A device for triggering at least one external protection function for a motor vehicle for the protection of external road users in particular need of protection, in particular for the protection of pedestrians, includes a control unit for evaluating sensor data from a first sensor system for sensing collision objects and for outputting a first trigger signal for the at least one external protection function, as well as an auxiliary control unit for evaluating sensor data from a second sensor system for sensing collision objects and for directly outputting a second trigger signal for the at least one external protection function if a collision object was detected, the auxiliary control unit being adapted such that the control unit is bypassed when the second trigger signal is output.

Provided are a method and an apparatus for controlling the deployment of an airbag. The method includes steps of: determining whether a complex collision has occurred, based on collision-related physical quantities due to a vehicle collision; and adjusting a threshold value as a criterion for determining whether to deploy an airbag when the complex collision has occurred as a result of the determination.

A method for detecting scratches and bumps applied to a vehicle uses an acceleration sensor. Signals of the sensor are analyzed and evaluated based on duration and frequency.

There is provided an occupant protection device for a vehicle, the occupant protection device including a side collision prediction device configured to predict a collision with a side of a host vehicle and output a prediction result including determination about whether or not the predicted collision is an inevitable collision, a physical quantity detection device configured to detect a physical quantity related to the collision with the side of the host vehicle and output a detection value of the physical quantity, an airbag device configured to expand to protect an occupant of the vehicle when the airbag device is operated, and an electronic control unit.

Systems and methods for crash determination in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a vehicle telematics device includes a processor and a memory storing a crash determination application, wherein the processor, on reading the crash determination application, is directed to obtain sensor data from at least one sensor installed in a vehicle, calculate peak resultant data based on the sensor data, where the peak resultant data describes the acceleration of the vehicle over a first time period, generate crash score data based on the peak resultant data and a set of crash curve data for the vehicle, where the crash score data describes the likelihood that the vehicle was involved in a crash based on the characteristics of the vehicle and the sensor data, and provide the obtained sensor data when the crash score data exceeds a crash threshold to a remote server system.

An accident determination device which determines whether an accident has occurred in a moving object based on an impact having occurred in said moving object, comprising: an impact detecting unit that detects an impact having occurred in said moving object; an accident determining unit that compares impact value of the impact detected by said impact detecting unit with a determination threshold so as to determine whether an accident has occurred in said moving object; and a threshold setting unit that sets said determination threshold according to an area attribute of the area where said moving object is located.

A vehicle, comprising a monitoring unit configured to monitor a surrounding environment of a vehicle body, a detection unit configured to detect an impact applied onto the vehicle body, a plurality of impact absorption units, and an operation control unit configured to selectively operate the plurality of impact absorption units, based on at least one of a monitoring result from the monitoring unit and a detection result from the detection unit.

Provided are an apparatus for protecting a pedestrian and a control method thereof. The apparatus for protecting a pedestrian includes a front object detection unit configured to detect an object in front of a vehicle; a collision detection unit configured to detect a collision of a vehicle; a protection module driving unit configured to drive a protection module for protecting a pedestrian when the pedestrian collides with the vehicle; and a control unit configured to determine the front object as a hood lift target on the basis of a detection result of the front object detection unit, to determine the collision as a hood lift target collision on the basis of a detection result of the collision detection unit, and to operate the protection module driving unit in case of the hood lift target collision of the hood lift target.