Method and apparatus for activating a crash countermeasure in response to the braking capability of a vehicle

A method for operating a pre-crash sensing system for a first vehicle proximate a second vehicle a counter-measure system comprising:

• generating a vehicle data signal;
• generating first position signal corresponding to a position of the first vehicle;
• generating sensor signals from the first vehicle;
• receiving a second position signal from the second vehicle corresponding to a second position;
• receiving a braking capability signal from the second vehicle;
• determining a first vehicle trajectory from said vehicle data signal, said sensor signals, said first position signal and said second position signal;
• determining a threat level as a function of the first vehicle trajectory and the braking capability;
• and
• when the threat level is less than a first threshold distance from said second position, activating a first display.

A system for sensing a potential collision of a first vehicle with a second vehicle that transmits a second position signal and a braking capability signal, said first vehicle having a pre-crash sensing system comprising:

• a memory storing vehicle data generating a vehicle data signal;
• a first global positioning system generating a first position signal corresponding to a position of the first vehicle;
• a first sensor generating sensor data signal from the first vehicle,
• a receiver receiving a second position signal from the second vehicle and a braking capability signal;
• a countermeasure system;
• and
• a controller coupled to said memory, said global positioning receiver, said first sensor and said counter measure system, said controller determining a distance to the second vehicle in as a function of the second position signal, determining a first vehicle trajectory from said vehicle data signal, and said position signal, determining a threat level as a function of the distance and said first vehicle trajectory and the braking capability signal, and activating a counter-measure system in response to the threat level.