Patent ID: 8700257
Filing Date: 2014-04-15
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A method for reducing pedestrian injury resulting from collisions between a pedestrian and an automotive vehicle having a body and a hood having a forward end and a rear end proximate to the vehicular windshield and at least one actuator in operational communication between the automotive vehicle body and the hood, the hood oriented in a vehicle use position during vehicular operation, the method comprising: detecting the presence of a pedestrian in a path of travel of the automotive vehicle, wherein the deployment step occurs prior to or contemporaneously with physical contact between the pedestrian and the automotive vehicle; deploying the automotive hood from the vehicle use position with the front end of the hood and the rear end of the hood proximate to the vehicle body to a first elevated lift position wherein the rear end of the hood is elevated relative to the vehicle use position and the front end of the hood remains at a location proximate to the vehicle body, wherein the first elevated lift position locates the rear end to contact the pedestrian, and wherein activation of the at least one actuator relative to the vehicle body results in deployment of the hood;