Patent ID: 7804414

Claim:
A device for detecting a collision of an obstacle with an automotive vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine, comprising: a bumper-reinforcing member elongated in a width direction of the vehicle; a bumper cover covering a front side of the bumper-reinforcing member, the bumper cover being adapted to be movable toward bumper-reinforcing member when an obstacle collides with the bumper cover; a member forming an enclosed space therein, the member being positioned between the bumper cover and the bumper-reinforcing member, the enclosed space being deformed by movement of the bumper cover toward the bumper-reinforcing member due to the collision; a pressure sensor for detecting air pressure in the enclosed space; a temperature sensor for directly or indirectly detecting air temperature in the enclosed space; and means for determining whether the enclosed space is hermetically enclosed or not based on the air pressure and the air temperature in the enclosed space.