Development of Anticipatory Automobile Crash Sensors

PDFTech ReportDOT-TSC-NHTSA-71-03DOT-HS-820 200PB-211 469CollisionsCrash injury researchMicrowavesRadarResearchSensorsSonarUltrasonicsUnited StatesUnited States. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationHopkins, John B.Holmstrom, F. RossApgar, E.Hazel, Morrin E.Newfell, T.White, E. F.John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, (U.S.)United States. National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationAGR-SAFETY AND SECURITY-SAFETY AND SECURITYNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATIONNTL-INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS-INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMSNTL-INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS-Collision Avoidance Systems (Vehicles)NTL-SAFETY AND SECURITY-SAFETY AND SECURITYVolpe National Transportation Systems Center, Technical Reference CenterA COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION IS CARRIED OUT TO DETERMINE THE BASIC SYSTEM CONSTRAINTS AND REQUIRED OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR ANTICIPATORY SENSING OF IMPENDING AUTOMOBILE CRASHES. THIS IS FOLLOWED BY CONSIDERATION OF A WIDE VARIETY OF POSSIBLE SENSING TECHNIQUES AND SELECTION OF THOSE DESERVING OF FURTHER STUDY. TWO METHODS ARE CHOSEN, MICROWAVE RADAR AND ULTRASONIC SONAR, AND THE ADVANTAGES, WEAKNESSES, AND UNCERTAIN AREAS OF BOTH ARE DELINEATED. REALIZATION OF BOTH SENSORS IS DESCRIBED. THE RADAR SENSOR, COMPRISING STANDARD MICROWAVE COMPONENTS AND SOLID STATE CIRCUITRY, WAS INSTALLED ON A TEST VEHICLE FOR CHARACTERIZATION. RESULTS ARE PROMISING, BUT PRELIMINARY. THE SONAR APPROACH IS A TRANSLATION OF THE RADAR SENSOR INTO ACOUSTIC FORM. /AUTHO