External airbag deployment system and method

An external airbag deployment system, comprising:

• a controller configured to:
• set a detection area located in front of a vehicle;
• select a target object from a plurality of objects detected in the detection area by comparing a relative velocity, an overlap, and a Time To External Airbag (EAB) (TTE), which is a remaining time until each object collides with an airbag cushion when an external airbag is predicted to be deployed;
• determine whether the vehicle is stable by comparing a predicted yaw rate of the vehicle with a measured yaw rate;
• determine whether a relative velocity and an overlap, predicted at a time when the target object is predicted to collide with the vehicle, are greater than predetermined levels;
• and
• deploy the external airbag when the vehicle is stable, and the predicted relative velocity and overlap of the target object are greater than the predetermined levels.

A non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions executed by a processor or controller, the computer readable medium comprising:

• program instructions that set a detection area located in front of a vehicle;
• program instructions that select a target object from a plurality of objects detected in the detection area by comparing a relative velocity, an overlap, and a Time To External Airbag (EAB) (TIE), which is a remaining time until each object collides with an airbag cushion when an external airbag is predicted to be deployed;
• program instructions that determine whether the vehicle is stable by comparing a predicted yaw rate of the vehicle with a measured yaw rate;
• program instructions that determine whether a relative velocity and an overlap, predicted at a time when the target object is predicted to collide with the vehicle, are greater than predetermined levels;
• and
• program instructions that deploy the external airbag when the vehicle is stable, and the predicted relative velocity and overlap of the target object are greater than the predetermined levels.