| 摘要 |
A structural member, configured as a bumper 10, for a vehicle (32) is configured to be variably adjusted by means of electric current thereby variably adjusting a force counteracting an impact of an object (36, 38) against the structural member. The bumper may comprise at least one layer 12 of a smart material, such as a shape memory alloy or shape memory polymer, which changes stiffness when electric current is passed through it. Layer 12 of smart material is optionally arranged between further layers 14, 16 made of a polymer material. The smart bumper may form part of a crash management system (26) comprising electronic control circuit 28 to supply electric current to the bumper from battery 30. Crash management system (26) may further comprise a detecting device (34), that may include a camera (40), to detect whether an object about to collide with the bumper is a pedestrian (36). |
