Impact-absorbing apparatus and method for vehicle

An impact-absorbing apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

• a path generation unit configured to generate an own vehicle travel path of an own vehicle, based on a speed and travel direction of the own vehicle, and a preceding vehicle travel path of a preceding vehicle, based on a speed and travel direction of the preceding vehicle;
• a passenger detection unit configured to detect whether or not a passenger is seated on a front passenger seat of the own vehicle;
• a collision determination unit configured to determine whether or not a collision between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle is expected, based on the own vehicle travel path and the preceding vehicle travel path;
• and
• a controller configured to control at least one of braking and steering systems of the own vehicle to control the own vehicle such that the own vehicle travels in the new travel path, wherein the controller is further configured to, when the collision determination unit determines that it is impossible to avoid the collision between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle and the passenger is seat on the front passenger seat of the own vehicle, control a braking amount of a first wheel of the own vehicle, positioned further from the preceding vehicle than a second wheel of the own vehicle, to be greater than a braking amount of the second wheel of the own vehicle, positioned closer to the preceding vehicle than the first wheel of the own vehicle, and then change the braking amount of the first wheel of the own vehicle, positioned farther from the preceding vehicle then the second wheel of the own vehicle, to be less than the braking amount of the second wheel of the own vehicle, positioned closer to the preceding vehicle than the wheel of the own vehicle, so that,when it is impossible to avoid the collision between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle, the own vehicle is controlled to travel in a direction different from the travel direction of the preceding vehicle first and then change the travel direction of the own vehicle toward the preceding vehicle.

An impact-absorbing method for a vehicle, comprising:

• generating an own vehicle travel path of an own vehicle, based on a speed and travel direction of the own vehicle, and a preceding vehicle travel path of a preceding vehicle, based on a speed and travel direction of the preceding vehicle;
• determining whether or not a collision between and the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle is expected based on the own vehicle travel path and the preceding vehicle travel path;
• and
• controlling braking and/or steering systems of the own vehicle such that the own vehicle travels in the new travel path, wherein the controlling of the braking and/or steering systems of the own vehicle comprises, when it is determined that it is impossible to avoid the collision between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle, controlling a braking amount of a first wheel of the own vehicle, positioned farther from the preceding vehicle than a second wheel of the own vehicle, to be greater than a braking amount of the second wheel of the own vehicle, positioned closer to preceding vehicle than the first wheel of the own vehicle, and then changing the braking amount of the first wheel of the own vehicle, positioned father from the preceding vehicle than the second wheel of the own vehicle, to be less than the braking amount of the second wheel of the own vehicle, positioned closer to the preceding vehicle than the first wheel of the own vehicle, so that, when it is impossible to avoid the collision between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle, the own vehicle is controlled to travel in a direction different from the travel direction of the preceding vehicle first and change the travel direction of the own vehicle toward the preceding vehicle.