Safety device for a motor vehicle and method for operating a motor vehicle

A safety system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

• a first sensor unit (2) mounted on the vehicle, and configured and arranged to detect objects in an environment outside of the vehicle, and to output corresponding plural detected object data,
• a second sensor unit (20) mounted on the vehicle, and configured and arranged to detect a friction-relevant state of the environment and to output corresponding friction status data,
• a third sensor unit (30) mounted on the vehicle, and configured and arranged to detect a vehicle status of the vehicle and to output corresponding vehicle status data,
• a fourth sensor unit (40) mounted on the vehicle, and configured and arranged to detect driver inputs of a driver of the vehicle and to output corresponding driver input data,
• a first evaluation unit (4) connected and configured to receive and merge the plural detected object data and to output corresponding merged object data,
• a second evaluation unit (5) connected and configured to receive and evaluate the merged object data, and based thereon to determine unoccupied spaces and a potential collision obstacle among the objects in the environment, and a position and movement of the potential collision obstacle, and to output corresponding unoccupied space and obstacle data,
• a third evaluation unit (24) connected and configured to receive and merge the plural detected object data and the friction status data, and to determine therefrom and output a proposed coefficient of friction (25),
• a fourth evaluation unit (34) connected and configured to receive and merge the vehicle status data, the proposed coefficient of friction and the driver input data to determine therefrom and output a driving state (35),
• a fifth evaluation unit (44) connected and configured to receive and merge the driver input data and the driving state, and to determine therefrom and output a driver's specified course, and
• a driving safety coordinator (6) connected and configured to receive and evaluate the unoccupied space and obstacle data, the proposed coefficient of friction, the driving state and the driver's specified course, and therefrom to calculate a collision risk based on a risk assessment, to determine precollision phases of the vehicle with respect to the potential collision obstacle, and, dependent on the collision risk and the precollision phases, to perform at least one of:
• automatically emitting a warning to the driver of the vehicle through a human machine interface device of the vehicle,
• automatically controlling a braking system of the vehicle, or
• automatically controlling a steering system of the vehicle.