Patent ID: 8056961

Claim:
A pedestrian impact mitigation system adapted for use with a vehicle, and for absorbing kinetic energy during an impact with a projectile, wherein the projectile defines a projected path towards an external surface of the vehicle, said system comprising: an energy absorption member reconfigurable between first and second conditions, wherein the member is stowed in the first condition, and extends from and exterior to the vehicle, so as to intercept the path in the second condition; an actuator drivenly coupled to the member, and operable to selectively cause the member to shift from the first and to the second condition; and a controller communicatively coupled to the actuator, and operable to determine a pre-crash or crash event and cause the actuator to shift the member, when the event is determined, wherein the member defines a resistively bendable region, such that at least a portion of the member is caused to bend as a result of and thereby further absorbs energy from the impact, and the region includes a spring-biased hinge.