Bumper assemblies for vehicles including low-energy impact indicators

A vehicle rear bumper assembly comprising:

• a bumper beam reinforcement member having an upper part, a lower part and a rearward most part extending between the upper part and the lower part;
• a bumper cover extending over the upper part;
• and
• a mechanical extending component located in the bumper reinforcement member, the mechanical extending component having a retracted configuration located below the bumper cover and an extended configuration where the mechanical extending component penetrates through the bumper cover in response to a low-energy impact to the rearward most part of the bumper beam reinforcement member;
• wherein the bumper beam reinforcement member comprises a guide web that provides a guide track along which the mechanical extending component travels.

A method of providing an indication to a vehicle user that a vehicle rear bumper assembly has experienced a low-energy rear impact, the method comprising:

• engaging an impact barrier with a vehicle rear bumper assembly, the vehicle rear bumper assembly comprising:
• a bumper beam reinforcement member having an upper part, a lower part and a rearward most part extending between the upper part and the lower part;
• a bumper cover extending over the upper part;
• and
• a mechanical extending component located in the bumper reinforcement member, the mechanical extending component having a retracted configuration located below the bumper cover;
• moving the mechanical extending component to an extended configuration in response to a low-energy impact during the step of engaging the impact barrier, the mechanical extending component piercing through the bumper cover forming a hole therethrough as the mechanical extending component moves to the extended configuration.