TRW will launch a more convenient belt buckle active lifting device

TRW (Tianhe) Automotive Holding Group recently announced that it has signed a production contract for the first Active Buckle Lifter (ABL) with a major European automobile manufacturer and will start production in 2013.

ABL system for the rear seat design, the same applies to the front seats. The ABL device developed by TRW has three functions: First, the occupant can improve the positioning of the seat belt and tighten the seat belt after seated. The second is to effectively reduce the seat belt's looseness during dynamic driving. Third, in the emergency driving process, the possibility of the occupant deviating from the seat can be effectively reduced by quickly shrinking the seat belt.

Uwe Class, senior engineering manager of TRW active restraint system, stated: “If the front seat center console is too big or the rear seat belt buckle position is too deep, it will be inconvenient to secure the lock. This time, The ABL device can be used to increase the position of the lock (up to 70mm), so that the driver and the occupant can easily wear the seatbelt. This technology can also help those who are inconvenient to move, and greatly reduce the fixed lock. The belt may be twisted or tilted when it is secured. After the belt is secured, the lock will return to its original position."

ABL technology not only improves the comfort of the driver, but also works under dynamic driving conditions such as powerful braking and sharp turns. It can shrink the lock according to the data of the active safety sensor on the vehicle, reduce the relaxation of the seat belt in the pelvis and the frontal position, and ensure that the occupant always sits in a controlled and expected position.

In emergency situations such as emergency braking and unstable driving, the safety function of the ABL unit will be automatically activated. Before the collision occurs, the seatbelt will be tightened quickly (maximum 80mm contraction), ensuring that the occupant is in place under the deployment of the airbag.

According to the Class introduction, active safety technologies such as active lifting of seat belt buckles have attracted the interest of many car manufacturers. The reason is that the current global population is aging. For older people, driving comfort is more and more important. Secondly, the European Commission proposes that by 2020, the road accident rate will be reduced by half, and the entire automobile industry will pay more attention to it. Active safety features, such as automatic emergency braking, can be easily combined with TRW's ABL unit. It is reported that TRW will also input GPS data into ABL to provide dynamic support for vehicles when encountering road conditions such as detours.