LIVONIA, Mich. — To support automakers in their pursuit of manufacturing vehicles that meet rising Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards and new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash-test ratings, TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. said it is combining advanced ‘cognitive’ technologies from its portfolio to help make vehicles safer, more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly.
TRW’s safety systems combine active and passive safety technologies with electronic and sensing capabilities – such as a video camera technology integrated with electric power steering to provide guidance and haptic lane feedback to help keep drivers in their lanes. It is these ‘smart’ technologies that TRW describes as ‘cognitive safety systems’. The integration of these intelligent technologies helps mitigate the impact of accidents and provide tangible safety benefits to drivers and passengers, while also helping automakers differentiate their vehicles, according to the company.
To help automakers meet their CO2 emissions goals, TRW offers a range of fuel-saving and hybrid-enabling technologies, including electrically powered steering, slip control boost – a fully integrated electronic stability control and brake actuation system – and light-weight components. While they are not intended exclusively for hybrid vehicles, these technologies can facilitate the transition from gasoline and diesel to hybrid-electric vehicles and other powertrains.
To help consumers evaluate vehicle safety, NHTSA’s upcoming ruling will combine front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings into a single rating of up to five stars. Under the new requirement, active safety technologies, such as electronic stability control, lane departure warning and forward collision warning systems – systems that TRW manufactures – will be listed on vehicle stickers to inform consumers whether the technologies are available on the vehicle as standard or optional equipment.
