Development of an Automotive Rollover Sensor

It is estimated that in the United States, nearly one quarter of all fatal automobile accidents involve a vehicle rollover. [1] In order to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, it is desirable to develop a sensing system that can detect an imminent rollover condition with sufficient time to activate occupant safety protection devices. The goals of a Rollover Sensing Module (RSM) are;

1. 1
   To accurately estimate vehicle roll and pitch angles
2. 2
   To reliably predict in a timely manner an imminent rollover
3. 3
   To eliminate false activation of safety devices
4. 4
   To function properly during airborne conditions
5. 5
   To be as autonomous as possible, not requiring information from other vehicle subsystems.