Method for classifying an impact in a pre-crash sensing system in a vehicle having a countermeasure system

A method for operating a pre-crash sensing system for a source vehicle having a source vehicle width and length having a countermeasure system, said method comprising:

• measuring a source vehicle speed;
• determining an object distance and object speed;
• determining an object classification with a vision system;
• determining an object length and object width corresponding to the object classification;
• determining a danger zone based on the source vehicle length, source vehicle width and object length and object width;
• determining a source vehicle time interval corresponding to the time the source vehicle is within said danger zone;
• determining an object time interval corresponding to the time the object is within said danger zone;
• determining a point of impact in response to the time interval, the source vehicle speed and object speed;
• and
• activating the countermeasure system in response to the point of impact.

A method for operating a pre-crash sensing system for a source vehicle having a source vehicle width and length having a countermeasure system, said method comprising:

• measuring a source vehicle speed;
• determining a target vehicle distance and target vehicle velocity;
• determining a target vehicle classification with a vision system;
• determining a target vehicle length and target vehicle width corresponding to the target vehicle classification;
• determining a danger zone corresponding to the source vehicle length, source vehicle width and target vehicle length and target vehicle width;
• determining a source vehicle time interval corresponding to the time the source vehicle is within said danger zone;
• determining a target vehicle time interval corresponding to the time the target vehicle is within said danger zone;
• determining a point of impact in response to the time interval;
• classifying the impact into an impact classification;
• and
• activating the countermeasure system in response to the impact classification.