Patent ID: 7597171

Claim:
A system for triggering passive occupant safety measures in a motor vehicle, comprising: a control unit; a plurality of acceleration sensors for detecting an acceleration caused by an impact of the motor vehicle at different locations of the motor vehicle; feed lines assigned to the plurality of acceleration sensors, adapted to transmit output signals of the acceleration sensors to the control unit; wherein the control unit analyzes value-continuous output signals at least of some of the plurality of acceleration sensors, determines a type and severity of the impact therefrom, and triggers appropriate safety measures; and wherein at least one of the plurality of acceleration sensors is mounted on a vehicle part of a low structural stiffness on an outer vehicle circumference, all vehicle parts of high structural stiffness being of a shape, arrangement and material to define a deformation space inward from the acceleration sensor, the deformation space having dimensions selected, based on a stiffness of the vehicle part of a low structural stiffness, to prevent contact of the at least one acceleration sensor with the vehicle parts of high structural stiffness after an impact of a low or medium severity, defined by the vehicle having a relative maximum velocity of about 40 km/h against a soft object and about 30 km/h against a hard object, within a minimum reaction time period of about 40 milliseconds.