TRW Unveils Next Generation Radar Concept

FRANKFURT, Germany, Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hall 8, Stand F20 -- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (NYSE: TRW) is today announcing its next development in radar technology for 360 degree sensing around a vehicle, to enable multiple safety and convenience functions and further enhance driver safety.  As a leader in advanced safety, TRW's intelligent or cognitive solutions are making the latest safety innovations accessible across all vehicle segments.

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The new concept is a short range scalable radar family which can enable functions including lane change assist, blind spot detection, cross traffic alert, side impact sensing and low speed collision warning. The sensors can also be integrated with the vehicle braking and electric power steering systems to provide limited emergency braking and traffic jam assist.  

Martin Thoone, vice president, electronics engineering at TRW, commented: "Our new radar concept is a landmark in Driver Assist Systems (DAS) technology – with a limited number of low-cost sensors independently reporting data to a central control unit, enabling a wide range of safety functions to be managed efficiently and intelligently.

"Despite significant improvements in the safety systems of modern vehicles, the number of road-related accidents remains unacceptably high. We need to look at next generation active safety systems – developing lower cost sensors with multiple safety benefits such as our latest radar concept. It's our latest step in delivering 'the safety everyone deserves' and we see a strong demand for this type of system."

TRW's new sensor concept is a compact, scalable radar solution which can be used for multiple applications – either singly or in groups. This is ideal for vehicle manufacturers who may wish to start with basic driver assist functions but upgrade them in the future, or to create a modular range of safety and convenience systems that can be offered across multiple vehicle models and trim levels. For example a basic system could comprise a single forward looking sensor for low speed collision warning, a mid level system could add a pair of rear-mounted radars for blind spot detection/ lane change assist, and a premium system could add additional sensors for traffic jam assist, side impact detection or be used as part of an automatic parking solution.  

Thoone continued: "There is increasing consumer interest in features such as blind spot detection, lane change assist and side pre-crash systems, which can help to enhance safety - particularly when driving in city traffic and congested areas."

TRW expects that its new radar technology will be ready for production by 2015. The Company has been developing radar technology for the passenger and truck markets for over a decade with many successful launches worldwide.

Thoone added: "We are experiencing strong demand for our current 24 GHz medium range radar and scalable camera system and are now looking at the long term future of DAS systems. 360 degree environmental sensing is the next step for safety and our radar concept offers an intelligent solution to deliver this."

About TRW

With 2010 sales of $14.4 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 could 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, 2010 (our "Form 10-K"), and our reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended April 1 and July 1, 2011, such as: any developments related to antitrust investigations adversely affecting our results, cash flows, financial condition or reputation; any shortage of supplies causing a production disruption due to the events in Japan or otherwise; tighter financial markets adversely impacting the availability and cost of credit negatively affecting our business; a material contraction in automotive sales and production adversely affecting our results or the viability of our supply base; commodity inflationary pressures adversely affecting our profitability or supply base; strengthening of the U.S. dollar and other foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations impacting our results; pricing pressures from our customers adversely affecting our profitability; increasing costs negatively impacting our profitability; the loss of any of our largest customers materially adversely affecting us; 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 adversely affecting our results; risks associated with non-U.S. operations, including economic and political uncertainty in some regions, adversely affecting our business, results or financial condition; any inability to protect our intellectual property rights adversely affecting our business or our competitive position; any increase in the expense of our pension and other postretirement benefits or the funding requirements of our pension plans reducing our profitability; work stoppages or other labor issues at our facilities or at the facilities of our customers or suppliers adversely affecting our operations; volatility in our annual effective tax rate resulting from a change in our valuation allowances position or other factors; and other risks and uncertainties set forth in our Form 10-K and in our other filings with the U.S. 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.