PEDESTRIAN AIRBAG TECHNOLOGY A PRODUCTION SYSTEM

Lotta Jakobsson
Thomas Broberg
Henrik Karlsson
Anders Fredriksson
Niklas Grberg
Christina Gullander
Magdalena Lindman
Volvo Car Corporation
Sweden
Paper Number 13-0447

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

Pedestrians in conflict with passenger cars

represent an important portion of all road user
fatalities.
This paper presents the world-first pedestrian
airbag technology offered in a production
vehicle, being one way of addressing pedestrian
protection, focusing on trying to help further
cushion the impact for a pedestrian and also
enable a sleek styling of the vehicle in question.
A description of the technology is provided as
well as examples of tests for evaluating technical
performance, head impact characteristics and
overall technology performance.
Sensors in the bumper provide input to the
pedestrian airbag control unit that determines if
the system should be activated. The hood hinges
are released and the pedestrian airbag deploys
helping both to elevate the hood itself as well as
helping to cushion a potential impact. The lift
height is controlled and limited.
Numerous tests of the components and the
system are performed in various situations,
including different weather conditions, verified
the technical performance and validated the
complete chain of events from detection of a
pedestrian leg to the final state of deployment.
Using head impactor tests, the head impact
protection capabilities showed overall good
performance. Impact towards the pedestrian
airbag reduces the acceleration level as
compared to without the airbag.
Overall performance of the complete technology,
including head impact timing, airbag coverage
and overall occupant kinematics was verified
using a pedestrian prototype crash test dummy
and four different pedestrian FE human models.
The pedestrian airbag technology as being one
possible solution to cushion an impact helps to
protect pedestrians in certain situations when
struck by the vehicles front end with a
consequent impact to the hood and the area
around the windscreen wiper recess and A-pillar.

According to IRTAD (2011), out of all reported

road user fatalities in 2009, pedestrians represent
13% in the US, 14% in Germany and 12% in
Sweden.
Passenger cars are reported as the most frequent
(74%) collision opponent in fatal pedestrian
accidents (Gravila et al. 2003). In 75% of recent
Volvo car-pedestrian crashes the car is moving
forward and in more than 85% of these, the
collision takes place at speeds up to 40 km/h
(Lindman et al. 2011). Further, the most frequent
AIS2+ injured body parts are the lower
extremities followed by the head, upper
extremities, chest, pelvis, spine, face and
abdomen (in the order of presentation).
Fredriksson et al (2010) reported in a study
based on The German In-Depth Accident Study
(GIDAS) database that with regard to AIS3+
injuries, the most frequent injury mechanisms
were leg-to-front end, head-to-windscreen area,
chest-to-hood area, and chest-to-windscreen
area. Also, for surviving pedestrians, it was
estimated that the head was the dominating body
region to sustain a severe permanent medical
impairment.
Public domain testing for the car-pedestrian
scenario was first introduced in 1997 by
EuroNCAP and the first regulatory requirement
came into effect in 2005 in EU and Japan. The
methods used are physical component tests
simulating frontal impacts with pedestrians,
aiming at reducing pedestrian injury.
To meet the safety rating and regulatory targets,
protective functionalities are introduced by car
manufacturers. For example, in a study by Khn
et al (2005), different concepts of car front
structure, uplifting hood and uplifting hood with
airbag are discussed.
Strandroth et al, (2011) found a significant
correlation between Euro NCAP pedestrian score
and injury outcome in real-life crashes,
suggesting that this is an effect of more
pedestrian friendly car design. Further
Jakobsson 1

developments are continuously presented and

updates of test methods are expected the next
years. These will also include car safety
technology aiming at avoiding or mitigating the
car to pedestrian accidents, such as Pedestrian
detection with auto brake functionality (Lindman
et al. 2010).
The aim of this study is to present a production
airbag technology focusing pedestrian head
impacts. A special focus is given to the technical
challenges.

hood hinge release mechanism and the airbag

inflator. Each hood hinge release mechanism
pulls out a pin and releases a second pivot point
which makes it possible for the rear of the hood
to lift. At the same time, the airbag starts filling
with gas and opens the lid of the pedestrian
airbag module cover. During the inflation and
positioning sequence the airbag raises the back
of the hood to an extent of approximately ten
centimeters. The lift height is controlled and
limited. The principle sequence is illustrated in
Figure 3.

PEDESTRIAN AIRBAG TECHNOLOGY

The Pedestrian Airbag Technology consists of a
number of components integrated into the
vehicle as a complete system. The technology
was first introduced in the Volvo V40 in 2012,
Figure 1.

Figure 3. Principle sequence of deployment

Hood lift limiter

Figure 1. Deployed Pedestrian Airbag

Technology in a Volvo V40.

To limit the hood lifting it is equipped with a lift

limiter consisting of a hook in the hood and a
loop in the strut tower bar (see Figure 4). The
hook is designed to hitch into the loop only
when the back of the hood is lifted by the
pedestrian airbag. Hence, when the hood is lifted
in the front, e.g. during service, the hook will not
hitch into the loop.

Main components
Figure 2 displays the main components of the
Pedestrian Airbag Technology; pedestrian airbag
control unit, pedestrian airbag module, hood lift
limiter, hood hinge release mechanism, hood
hinges and sensors.
Figure 4. Lift limiter hook mounted on the hood
and loop mounted on the strut tower bar
Pedestrian airbag module

Figure 2. Main components of the pedestrian

airbag technology integrated in the vehicle
The systems activation range is between 20 and
50 km/h. Sensors embedded in the front of the
car (bumper) transmit signals to the pedestrian
airbag control unit. When the car comes into
contact with an object, the signals change. The
control unit evaluates the signals and if it
registers what it interprets as a human-like leg
the pedestrian airbag technology is activated.
When a decision to trigger the pedestrian airbag
technology is made, trigger signals are
simultaneously sent to the two pyrotechnical

In contrary to most vehicle airbags, the

pedestrian airbag is located on the outside of the
vehicle. Some adaptations were made to this
environment. Except for the airbag size, the
general concept is the same as of interior airbags,
comprising a cover, a hybrid inflator, and an
airbag. Upon activation, the airbag is filled with
gas within a few milliseconds and stays fully
inflated for about 300 milliseconds. The entire
sequence from activation of the system to full
inflation takes less than hundred milliseconds.
When the airbag is completely deployed it
covers the part of the A-pillars and lower part of
the
windscreen.
This
corresponds
to
approximately one third of the windscreen.

Jakobsson 2

Figure 5. Pedestrian airbag completely deployed.

TESTING / EVALUATION
During the development work, the technology
was evaluated using several different types of
testing. Head impact tests, Computer Aided
Engineering (CAE) as well as physical test, were
used to show the benefits of the pedestrian
airbag and hood functionality. Overall dynamic
performance was evaluated using a pedestrian
prototype crash test dummy and four different
sized pedestrian FE human models. Also, the
sensor functionality when interacting with
different objects was evaluated.

System tests were performed to validate the

complete chain from detection of a pedestrian to
complete airbag deployment. A great number of
development tests were run with different types
of impactors, in several environmental
situations, as well as in different configurations
to simulate humans for activation, as exemplified
in Figure 6.
The system was also tested during varying
environmental conditions such as snow, ice, dirt,
different temperatures and also after ageing and
durability tests. Figure 7 shows a climate
chamber that is used to test the system in
different temperatures. Figure 8 shows activation
test with a car packed with snow in the area
above the pedestrian airbag module area. The
technology shows good performance in all
evaluated configurations, meeting the internal
targets.

Technical performance evaluation

Extensive testing has been made during the
development phase of the pedestrian airbag
technology. Numerous tests were performed in
various situations, including different weather
conditions and loading conditions for the
evaluation of the technical performance.
Component tests were performed on the hood
hinges, hood hinge release mechanisms, lift
limiter, hood and pedestrian airbag module for
durability and functionality testing. Hundreds of
airbag tests have been performed to get the
optimal deploying performance and timing.
Figure 7. Photo of a climate chamber for testing
at different temperatures.

Figure 8. Activation test in a car packed with

snow in the area of the pedestrian airbag module.
Head impact performance

Figure 6. One example of system testing, using a

leg impactor, three time sequences

Head impact tests were performed according to

the Euro-NCAP test protocol (Ver 5.3.1. Nov
2011), using the pedestrian rig at Volvo Cars
Safety Centre, Figure 9. A child head impactor
and an adult head impactor were used and
launched towards impact areas defined in the
protocol as relevant for the different pedestrian
Jakobsson 3

sizes. Used impact speed was 11.1 m/s. The

airbag was trigged so the impactor hit the airbag
with timing corresponding to that of a car to
pedestrian impact.

Figure 9. Head impact test. Top: view from the

right hand side of the car. Bottom: view from the
roof of the car.

airbag. It can be seen that the pedestrian airbag

substantially reduces the acceleration level and
thus the HIC value.
The increased distance to the underlying
structure due to the lifted hood, also provide
further improvements regarding head impact
performance compared to the hood in its normal
position.

Figure 11. An example of head impacts

responses (acceleration vs time) comparing with
and without the pedestrian airbag at one specific
location.
Complete technology performance

The injury criterion evaluated is HIC (Head

Injury Criterion) based on the accelerometer
signal from the head impactors.
One summary of the head impactor responses
was presented by EuroNCAP for the Volvo V40
(EuroNCAP, 2013), Figure 10. EuroNCAP
grades the responses in the different impact
points in scores of GOOD, ADEQUATE and
MARGINAL.
As can be seen in Figure 10, the Pedestrian
Airbag Technology integrated in the Volvo V40
shows an overall GOOD performance and
achieved the maximum score of 24 points for the
head impact tests. The total pedestrian protection
score was 88%, which was the highest score yet
achieved in this part of the assessment in 2012.

CAE,
Numerous
Computer
Aided
Engineering (CAE) simulations were run using
human FE pedestrian models and a vehicle
model of the Volvo V40 using the LS-Dyna
software. The purpose was to evaluate the
performance of the complete technology,
including head impact timing, airbag coverage
and overall occupant kinematics. The human FE
pedestrian models were in different sizes; 6 years
old child, 5%-ile female, 50%-ile male and 95%ile male sizes, Figure 12.

Figure 12. The four different human FE

pedestrian models.
For robustness evaluation, the pedestrian stances
as well as the vehicle impact points and vehicle
speeds were varied. Some of the test setups are
displayed in Figures 13 and 14.
Figure 10. EuroNCAP results of Volvo V40
pedestrian evaluation (EuroNCAP, 2013)
An example of acceleration vs time signal for an
impact point at the area of the pedestrian airbag
is shown in Figure 11. A comparison is made in
the same impact point with and without an
Jakobsson 4

Figure 13. Examples of different evaluated

pedestrian stances.

Physical testing, As a complement to the

CAE simulations, a number of full vehicle
testing using a 50%-ile male size prototype
pedestrian dummy (Fredriksson et al. 2011) were
performed. The tests were run at different
speeds, dummy positions and vehicle impact
points to evaluate the complete vehicle
performance. Since a prototype pedestrian
dummy was used, overall kinematics rather than
specific body region injury criteria were
considered. Figures 16 and 17 illustrate two tests
with different dummy positions prior to impact.
The main purpose was to compare to the human
FE pedestrian tests, which showed similar
kinematics. The physical tests added valuable
input to the robustness evaluation of the
complete technology performance.

Figure 14. Examples of vehicle impact point

setups.
For the different combinations of vehicle
pedestrian interactions, the kinematics of the
pedestrian, different timing aspects and head
impact points were evaluated and used for
setting the timing in deployment and for
evaluation of complete technology performance.
The timings required for optimum performance
were evaluated and met. The head impact points
were compared to the head impact tests and
considered relevant from a complete technology
performance perspective.
As an example, Figure 15 presents the pedestrian
trajectories for the 50%-ile male FE pedestrian
model, in a walking stance, impacted at left
vehicle front in 40 km/h.

Figure 16. Full vehicle testing at speed 40 km/h

impacting a 50%-ile male size prototype
pedestrian dummy standing sidewise.

Figure 17. Full vehicle testing at speed 40 km/h

impacting a 50%-ile male size prototype
pedestrian dummy facing the vehicle.
DISCUSSION

Figure 15. Kinematics of 50% male FE

pedestrian model.

The pedestrian airbag technology as the first of

its kind in a production vehicle consists of a
number of components all working together
enabling the complete technology performance.
During the development process numerous
challenges were mastered both on component
and complete system level. The technology
presented is a first unique step in using airbag
technology to address collisions with
pedestrians.
The regions of the A-pillar and windscreen are
important structural load paths in crash scenarios
like to the front and side and are exposed to
potential head impact in a pedestrian crash.
Especially the A-pillar and windscreen wiper
recess areas are challenging to design addressing
Jakobsson 5

pedestrian head impacts while maintaining the

strength needed in combination with styling
aspects. Although challenging in itself the
technology presented in this study is one
possible solution addressing the issue by
providing a built-in cushioning effect for a
pedestrian upon impact in certain situations.
A technical aspect was to take the knowledge
from interior airbag technology and apply that to
an airbag which is located on the outside of the
car. Specific adaptations to this challenging
environment were made. Also, a new test
method, including a climate chamber was
developed
for
testing
the
technology
performance
at
different
environmental
conditions.
The required location of the airbag unit itself in
the plenum area and its size in combination with
the engineering aspects to enable mounting
outside the car made the airbag module
challenging also from a packaging perspective.
To make the engineering challenge even greater
the same airbag module is used for both left and
right hand drive cars.
Further, adaptations were needed to surrounding
components and several new inventions were
required to get the essential overall performance
of the complete system. One example being the
lift limiter and tailor-made hood-hinges which
may be perceived as minor parts but actually
have a high contribution to the overall
performance of the technology.
More so, during the inflation phase, the
pedestrian airbag has to open a lid, push the
hood upwards and deploy itself over an uneven
surface and position on the windscreen and the
A-pillars. This needs to be done in fractions of a
second. In comparison to a conventional interior
passenger airbag which primarily opens a lid and
position itself this process is much more
complex and puts high demands on the design
and folding of the airbag.
This first generation of the pedestrian airbag
technology is designed to operate in a vehicle
speed interval of 20-50 km/h. This is a logical
first step as this addresses a speed interval where
a significant number of pedestrian collisions
involving serious injuries occur. More so, setting
up these boundaries helped in making this
unique technology feasible at this point of time.
This paper describes the overall functionality of
the technology from a pedestrian protection
point of view. However, the challenge in the
design of this new unique technology also
included studies evaluating aspects of daily
usage and operation of the vehicle, including
misuse cases and studies of driver reactions.
The evaluation of the Pedestrian airbag
technology comprises several different methods
providing a solid ground for evaluating the
technical performance. Pedestrian dummies are

still under development and thus provided a

limitation in possibility for complete system
evaluation including dummy criteria. However,
the usage of a combination of different existing
validated tests and CAE methods together with
some new tests both on sub- and complete
system level gave high confidence as to the
overall performance of the pedestrian airbag
technology.
Partly due to lack of different sizes of pedestrian
dummies and in order to cover a more wide
impact area, head impact performance was
evaluated using the head impactor test. As
shown in Figure 11, head impact towards the
pedestrian airbag results in substantially lower
head impact severity compared to the same
impact point without a pedestrian airbag on this
specific vehicle.
The pedestrian airbag technology, comprising a
pedestrian airbag together with a hood lifting
functionality mainly addresses improved
protection to the pedestrians upper body
regions. Protection is also provided in the
vehicle front by focusing pedestrian leg impact
protection when interaction in this area. Hence,
the pedestrian crash protection of the complete
vehicle is more than the pedestrian airbag
technology as presented in this study.
In 2010, Volvo Cars introduced an avoidance
and mitigation technology detecting pedestrians
that shows high potential (Lindman et al. 2010).
This technology provides a warning to the driver
and auto brake the car if the driver does not take
any action trying to avoid a likely collision with
a pedestrian. With this in combination with the
pedestrian airbag technology, the pedestrian will
be impacted at reduced speed, if not the crash is
avoided as such.
Pedestrians are not the only type of Vulnerable
Road Users (VRU) that may be impacted by the
front end of a car. Even if the pedestrian airbag
technology has been designed focusing the
impact between a car and pedestrian, there may
be situations where the technology might have a
cushioning effect also in relation to other types
of VRUs. This, however, was not part of this
study.
CONCLUSIONS
The pedestrian airbag technology being a worldfirst pedestrian airbag technology offered in a
production vehicle is one way of addressing
pedestrian protection, especially when car size
and styling aspects are setting the borders.
The pedestrian airbag technology helps to
protect pedestrians in certain situations when
struck by the vehicles front-end with a
consequent impact to the hood and the area
around the windscreen wiper recess and A-pillar,
where there may be a risk of head impacts.

Jakobsson 6

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The development of the Pedestrian Airbag
Technology is a team work. The authors would
like to acknowledge all of those who have
participated, especially highlighting;
The creativity and support by team leader,
material coordinator and testing staff at Safety
Centre Testing Laboratory.
The enthusiasm and support by Sven-Gunnar
Johansson, Mats Erlingfors, Gunnar Hallnus,
Eddy Bergenheim, Venti Saslecov, Mats
Bjureblad, Daniel Bodebratt, Tommy Zippert,
Christer Bjrnerud, Anders Dahln, Emil
Lidstrm, Anders Carlsson, Hkan nal, Stefan
Larsson and Thomas Boberg at Volvo Cars
Further, Rikard Fredriksson at Autoliv Research
and Dan Bergman, Bjrn Widerholm, Stphane
Prtot at Autoliv Sverige AB are greatly
appreciated for their professional co-operation.

Pedestrian Injury Severity in Real-Life

Crashes and Euro NCAP Pedestrian Test
Results. ESV Conference, Paper No. 110188, 2011

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