A PREDICTIVE ROLLOVER SENSOR. IN: OCCUPANT AND VEHICLE RESPONSES IN ROLLOVERS

In this chapter, from a comprehensive text about occupant and vehicle responses in rollovers, the authors report on a predictive rollover sensor. The rollover sensor is a simple system composed of a single axis accelerometer or inclinometer, an inexpensive solid-state rate gyro, and a micro-controller. The authors note that inclinometers or accelerometers alone cannot predict rollover due to the effects of lateral forces during turns. The authors used the model sensor, along with proprietary algorithms similar to those developed for the Archangel Air Data Attitude Heading Reference System (ADAHRS) for aviation, to construct a successful predictive system. The authors contend that using in this system, the combination of the roll rate and angle are used to predict an impending rollover up to 500 ms in advance. They discuss how this system could be combined with an active yaw control system to prevent a rollover or, at the least, to deploy airbags to minimize passenger danger.