Patent ID: 8095276

Claim:
A sensor system for detecting an impending collision of a vehicle, the sensor system comprising: a primary radar arrangement carried by the vehicle for detecting at a first frequency to provide radar output based on a plurality of radar measurements including a radar range measurement, an angular position and a radar closing velocity of an object with respect to the vehicle; a confirmation detection arrangement including a confirmation sensor positioned on the vehicle for detecting at a second frequency lower than the first frequency within a proximity space adjacent to the vehicle, the confirmation detection arrangement providing a confirmation detection output based on a plurality of proximity measurements including presence of the object within the proximity space and proximity closing velocity of the object with respect to the vehicle; and an electronic control module in communication with the primary radar and confirmation detection arrangements, the electronic control module configured to produce a deployment signal for a safety device which is dependent upon evaluation of the radar and confirmation detection outputs and to use the radar output as a deployment command and to use the confirmation detection output as a confirmation signal, producing the deployment signal and increasing reliability of determining an impending crash.