Dynamic adjustment of a vehicle contact sensor sensing threshold

A predictive control system for force management response of a vehicle, the predictive control system including:

• an automated driver assistance system (ADAS) including one or more vehicle environment sensors configured to detect an object external to the vehicle and an electronic control module in operative communication with the one or more vehicle environment sensors;
• a vehicle force management system (FMS) including a vehicle contact sensor, an energy absorbing component, and an electronic control module in operative communication with the vehicle contact sensor and the energy absorbing component;
• wherein the electronic control module of the ADAS is operable to:
• determine, based at least partially on data from the one or more vehicle environment sensors, a current path of the vehicle, a current trajectory of the object, and whether the current path of the vehicle and the current trajectory of the object intersect;
• assign a categorization of predicted contact of the vehicle with the external object based at least partially on the data from the one or more vehicle environment sensors if the current path of the vehicle and the current trajectory of the external object intersect;
• communicate the categorization to the electronic control module of the FMS;
• and
• wherein the electronic control module of the FMS is operable to adjust, based on the categorization, a trigger threshold of the vehicle contact sensor at which an energy absorbing component is activated.

A vehicle comprising:

• an automated driver assistance system (ADAS) including an electronic control module and one or more vehicle environment sensors in operable communication with the electronic control module of the ADAS, the one or more vehicle environment sensors configured to detect an object external to the vehicle;
• a vehicle force management system (FMS) including a vehicle contact sensor, an energy absorbing component, and an electronic control module in operable communication with the vehicle contact sensor and the energy absorbing component;
• wherein the electronic control module of the ADAS is operable to:
• determine, based at least partially on data from the one or more vehicle environment sensors, a current path of the vehicle, a current trajectory of the object, and whether the current path of the vehicle and the current trajectory of the object intersect;
• assign a categorization of predicted contact of the vehicle with the external object based at least partially on the data from the one or more vehicle environment sensors if the current path of the vehicle and the current trajectory of the external object intersect;
• communicate the categorization to the electronic control module of the FMS;
• and
• wherein the electronic control module of the FMS is operable to adjust, based on the categorization, a trigger threshold of the vehicle contact sensor at which an energy absorbing component is activated.