Advanced Occupant Safety
The future of passive safety is adaptive
Automotive megatrends such as e-mobility and automated driving present new challenges for vehicle manufacturers. Modern vehicle interior designs offering relaxed seating positions require comprehensive advances in the field of occupant protection. This includes protecting all occupants equally, regardless of age, gender, size, weight, and seating position.
As ZF LIFETEC is committed to Vision Zero, we are developing advanced system solutions to continuously improve occupant safety. These include adaptive restraint systems such as seat belts and airbags, as well as modern sensor- and camera-based technologies for occupant detection. The fusion of this data, combined with the use of specially developed algorithms, enables close interaction between the detection and the corresponding actuators – helping vehicle manufacturers comply with future international NCAP requirements.
Use Cases
PERSONALIZED SAFETY THROUGH ADVANCED SENSING
Passive safety systems of the future are getting smarter. By using adaptive restraint control algorithms that take advantage of more accurate crash detection and occupant information from the interieur we are on the path to improve occupant safety.
Adaptive Restraint Systems 
Our technology improves passive safety actuators, based on a vehicle interior and occupant analysis. State-of-the-art camera technology determines data such as the height, weight and seating position of the occupants. Software specially developed by us for this purpose then uses this data to create a digital image of all vehicle occupants. This is the basis for the individual classification of all persons in the vehicle. If a crash situation is detected by the active vehicle sensors, a computer unit installed in the vehicle processes all the information. Our system solution then adaptively adjusts the deployment time and volume of our airbags as well as the restraint intensity of our seatbelt retractors.
Proximity warning and repositioning
Intelligent Airbag Suppression
Correct Use of Seatbelt
Future-Ready Seating Concepts
Advanced occupant safety solutions
Beside adaptive actuators, the corner stone of advanced safety solutions is adaptive restraint control software and occupant monitoring software that all work together to improve safety.
Camera based solution
We develop software solutions for controlling motor vehicles. Our main focus is on computer vision in the context of human body perception. Our vision solutions can detect occupant size and seating position, classify occupants accordingly, and measure 3D poses. In addition, we can detect whether seat belts are correctly fastened, whether child seats are in the vehicle, and whether we can detect movements and gestures. When it comes to security systems, our main goal is to provide reliable and accurate information. To do this, we work with camera data, but also rely on data fusion with other sensor technologies.
Since the mass of the occupants and the body angle in particular are important parameters, we use, for example, seat-based weight recording but also belt extension data. Our powerful perception and recognition system with computer vision and sensor fusion integrates directly with our adaptive restraint system control and delivers the right information at the right time.
We develop solutions for artificial intelligence and C++ for embedded controls. Our Perception & Cognition software is directly integrated with our Adaptive Restraint Control algorithms to improve occupant protection. We offer occupant monitoring functions along assessment and regulation plans, such as EURO NCAP.
Products
In the area of advanced occupant safety, we are working on system solutions across various product lines. In this way, we create the basis for optimally mapping megatrends such as innovative vehicle interiors, regulatory developments and consumer tests. The focus is on a function-based development approach aimed at system integration.
ZF Airbag Germany GmbH
Wernher-von-Braun-Straße 1
84544 Aschau am Inn
T: +49 8638 9650
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