A near object detection system comprising: a plurality of target sensors (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26) coupled to a vehicle, each of the target sensors for providing range cell data having local coordinates associated with each respective target sensor; and a processor coupled to receive the range cell data having local coordinates and to process the range cell data in a vehicle global coordinate system; characterised in that the processor comprises: a multi-hypothesis tracker, MHT, adapted to receive the range cell data provided by the plurality of target sensors; an association hypothesis generator coupled to the MHT; a state variable filter coupled to the association hypothesis generator and further coupled to the MHT; a public track generator coupled to the association hypothesis generator, wherein the public track generator transforms the local coordinates of positional tracks associated with targets to a vehicle global coordinate system; a data fuser coupled to the public track generator, wherein the data fuser combines the public tracks associated with each of the plurality of target sensors to provide fused public tracks; a track quality generator coupled to the data fuser, wherein the track quality generator determines data quality values associated with the fused public tracks; a discriminator coupled to the public track generator and to the track quality generator, wherein the discriminator provides sensor scheduling information; and a vehicle crash management operator coupled to the track quality generator and to the discriminator, wherein the vehicle crash management operator provides control actions to the vehicle safety systems. a plurality of target sensors (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26) coupled to a vehicle, each of the target sensors for providing range cell data having local coordinates associated with each respective target sensor; and a processor coupled to receive the range cell data having local coordinates and to process the range cell data in a vehicle global coordinate system; characterised in that the processor comprises: a multi-hypothesis tracker, MHT, adapted to receive the range cell data provided by the plurality of target sensors; an association hypothesis generator coupled to the MHT; a state variable filter coupled to the association hypothesis generator and further coupled to the MHT; a public track generator coupled to the association hypothesis generator, wherein the public track generator transforms the local coordinates of positional tracks associated with targets to a vehicle global coordinate system; a data fuser coupled to the public track generator, wherein the data fuser combines the public tracks associated with each of the plurality of target sensors to provide fused public tracks; a track quality generator coupled to the data fuser, wherein the track quality generator determines data quality values associated with the fused public tracks; a discriminator coupled to the public track generator and to the track quality generator, wherein the discriminator provides sensor scheduling information; and a vehicle crash management operator coupled to the track quality generator and to the discriminator, wherein the vehicle crash management operator provides control actions to the vehicle safety systems. a multi-hypothesis tracker, MHT, adapted to receive the range cell data provided by the plurality of target sensors; an association hypothesis generator coupled to the MHT; a state variable filter coupled to the association hypothesis generator and further coupled to the MHT; a public track generator coupled to the association hypothesis generator, wherein the public track generator transforms the local coordinates of positional tracks associated with targets to a vehicle global coordinate system; a data fuser coupled to the public track generator, wherein the data fuser combines the public tracks associated with each of the plurality of target sensors to provide fused public tracks; a track quality generator coupled to the data fuser, wherein the track quality generator determines data quality values associated with the fused public tracks; a discriminator coupled to the public track generator and to the track quality generator, wherein the discriminator provides sensor scheduling information; and a vehicle crash management operator coupled to the track quality generator and to the discriminator, wherein the vehicle crash management operator provides control actions to the vehicle safety systems.