Appliance and method for controlling operation of vehicle passenger safety device in impacts - has impact measuring device to measure impact level for comparison with reference level which can be modified if impact detector determines impact level less than set level

摘要

The appliance has an impact measuring device located at a specific position in the vehicle. An initiation control system (44) compares the level (f(G)) calculated from the measured level of the impact (G) with a threshold level (T). The threshold level varies in accordance with a specific threshold level modification pattern. The initiation control system switches on the passive safety device according to the comparison result. At a position in front of the impact measuring device (32) there is located an impact detector (30) which determines whether or not the impact is weaker than a specific reference level. If the impact is not weaker than the reference level a threshold level modification pattern changeover appliance changes the specific threshold level modification pattern to another pattern.