TRW's Dynamic Locking Tongue Helps to Enhance Seat Belt System Performance

LIVONIA, Mich., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (NYSE: TRW), the global leader in active and passive safety, is beginning to equip seat belt systems with its new Dynamic Locking Tongue (DLT) technology.

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100907/DE60102 )

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100907/DE60102 )

The DLT is an elegant, lightweight and compact design consisting of a seat belt tongue (the plate which fastens into the buckle) with a rotating cam and a concealed spring.  The DLT allows webbing to pass freely through the tongue when buckling and in normal seat belt use to ensure comfort and convenience for everyday use. However, in the event of hard braking or a crash resulting in greater than about 45 Newtons (10 lb.) of force on the belt, the DLT clamps the webbing and works with other seat belt technologies helping to reduce loads on the occupant's chest.

"The Dynamic Locking Tongue is a simple and effective way to help manage the energy of an occupant in a crash," said Norbert Kagerer, vice president, engineering, TRW Occupant Safety Systems. "It works in concert with other seat belt technologies such as pretensioners and load limiters, and its ability to reduce chest compression loads is of benefit in complying with the more stringent test criteria now in place for the Euro NCAP and USNCAP ratings systems."

TRW testing has shown that the DLT is very effective in preventing the webbing from slipping through the tongue when in the locked mode. By using the DLT to better couple the occupant to the seat in the pelvic region, improvements in chest deflection and load have been shown across a range of vehicle types and sizes.

The DLT has been launched into production in North America, and vehicle manufacturer interest is high in this technology globally.

About TRW

With 2009 sales of $11.6 billion, TRW Automotive ranks among the world's leading automotive suppliers. Headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, USA, the Company, through its subsidiaries, operates in 26 countries and employs over 60,000 people worldwide.  TRW Automotive products include integrated vehicle control and driver assist systems, braking systems, steering systems, suspension systems, occupant safety systems (seat belts and airbags), electronics, engine components, fastening systems and aftermarket replacement parts and services.  All references to "TRW Automotive", "TRW" or the "Company" in this press release refer to TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated.  TRW Automotive news is available on the internet at www.trw.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains statements that are not statements of historical fact, but instead are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution readers not to place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.  All forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties which can cause our actual results to differ materially from those suggested by the forward-looking statements, including those set forth in our Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 (our "Form 10-K") and our Form 10-Q for each of the quarters ended April 2, and July 2, 2010, such as: the financial condition of our customers adversely affecting us or the viability of our supply base; disruptions in the financial markets adversely impacting the availability and cost of credit negatively affecting our business; any shortage of supplies adversely affecting us; any further material contraction in automotive sales and production adversely affecting our results, liquidity or the viability of our supply base; escalating pricing pressures from our customers; commodity inflationary pressures adversely affecting our profitability or supply base; our dependence on our largest customers; costs of product liability, warranty and recall claims and efforts by customers to adversely alter contract terms and conditions concerning warranty and recall participation; costs or liabilities relating to environmental, health and safety regulations; limitations on available cash and access to additional capital due to our substantial debt; strengthening of the U.S. dollar and other foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations impacting our results; any increase in the expense of our pension and other postretirement benefits or the funding requirements of our pension plans; risks associated with non-U.S. operations, including foreign exchange risks and economic and political uncertainty in some regions; work stoppages or other labor issues at our facilities or at the facilities of our customers or suppliers; assertions by or against us relating to intellectual property rights; the possibility that our largest stockholder's interests will conflict with our or our other stockholders' interests; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in our Form 10-K and in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do not undertake any obligation to release publicly any update or revision to any of the forward-looking statements.

SOURCE TRW Automotive Holdings Corp.

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED