System and method for determining a wheel departure angle for a rollover control system

A method of controlling a safety system of an automotive vehicle comprising:

• determining a total roll angle velocity;
• determining a wheel departure angle in response to a total roll angle velocity;
• determining a relative roll angle;
• and
• controlling the safety system in response to the wheel departure angle and the relative roll angle.

A control system comprising:

• a roll rate sensor generating a roll rate signal;
• a lateral acceleration sensor generating a lateral acceleration signal;
• a yaw rate sensor generating a yaw rate signal;
• and
• a controller coupled to the roll rate sensor, the lateral acceleration sensors, and the yaw rate sensor, said controller determining a total roll velocity total from the roll rate signal, the yaw rate signal and a pitch rate signal, said controller determining a relative roll angle from the roll rate signal and the lateral acceleration signal, said controller determining a wheel departure angle from he total roll velocity, said controller determining a calculated roll signal from the wheel departure angle and the relative roll angle signal.