Patent ID: 7543677

Claim:
A combination comprising: a detecting device mounted to a vehicle configured to detect information regarding a shape of an object about a periphery of the vehicle without engagement therewith; a discriminating device configured to determine if the object is a person based on the detected information regarding the object shape; a protecting device operable to reduce impact forces acting on the object in the event of a vehicle collision therewith; and a control device configured to be operable to actuate the protecting device when the discriminating device determines that the object is a person, wherein the discriminating device is configured so that if the object is determined to be a person, the discriminating device determines a body size of the person based on the detected information, the protecting device includes different operating modes, the control device is configured to actuate the protecting device in one of the operating modes based on the person's body size, and the protecting device comprises a first protecting device at a front end of the vehicle, a second protective device at a hood of the vehicle, and a third protective device at a front windshield of the vehicle, and the control device actuates one or more of the protecting devices based on the person's body size.