TRW's Second Generation Active Control Retractor Seat Belt System Launches in North America

LIVONIA, Mich., March 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (NYSE: TRW), today announced that its second generation Active Control Retractor system (ACR2) has started production on the award-winning 2014 Cadillac CTS. This is the first launch of this advanced seat belt technology in North America, combining active and passive approaches to offer enhanced safety, comfort and convenience to vehicle occupants.  

Uwe Class, senior manager of mechatronic systems for TRW's Occupant Safety Systems, said: "ACR2 is designed to use braking and stability control sensor information to recognize critical situations before a potential accident. It reacts by helping to secure the driver and passenger by removing seat belt slack – so the occupant position is improved in advance of an impending crash."

"The system also offers additional convenience features such as slack removal after the belt is buckled."

Additionally, the ACR2 provides dynamic driving support which has been developed to help keep the driver in a more stable position in the seat during highly dynamic situations and during rapid deceleration.  This features an advanced version of TRW's proprietary situation management algorithm.

"The ACR2 situation management algorithm continuously processes signals from the vehicle's relevant dynamic systems such as ABS, electronic stability control, radar or camera systems," continued Class. "The algorithm evaluates events such as braking, sliding or vehicle angle, and if a critical situation is identified, the ACR system pretensions the seat belt, helping place the occupant in a better position for a potential crash and acting as a warning to the driver that an accident may occur.  Should the accident be avoided, the system automatically resets itself via the reversible actuator."

"We are pleased to bring this important safety advancement to the North American market through close collaboration with General Motors," said Peter Lake, executive vice president, sales and business development for TRW Automotive. "The latest generation ACR2 system represents enhanced safety and convenience features at a more affordable cost," concluded Lake.

TRW was first to market with an active seat belt system in 2002, and has continued to work to integrate the Active Control Retractor system with other advanced comfort and safety systems, including drowsy driver warning functions and interaction with radar-enabled automatic emergency braking technology.

About TRW

With 2013 sales of $17.4 billion, TRW Automotive ranks among the world's leading automotive suppliers. Headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, USA, the Company, through its subsidiaries, operates in 24 countries and employs approximately 65,000 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 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 (our "Form 10-K"), such as: economic conditions adversely affecting our business, results or the viability of our supply base; risks associated with non-U.S. operations adversely affecting our business, results or financial condition; the unsuccessful implementation of our current expansion efforts adversely impacting our business or results; any developments related to antitrust investigations adversely affecting our financial condition, results, cash flows or reputation; pricing pressures from our customers adversely affecting our profitability; global competition adversely affecting our sales, profitability or financial condition; any disruption in our information technology systems adversely impacting our business and operations; any shortage of supplies causing a production disruption for any customers or us; the loss of any of our largest customers or a significant amount of their business, or a significant decline in their production levels, materially adversely affecting us; strengthening of the U.S. dollar and other foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations impacting our results; our contingent liabilities and tax matters causing us to incur material losses or costs; any inability to protect our intellectual property rights adversely affecting our business or our competitive position; commodity inflationary pressures adversely affecting our profitability or supply base; costs  or adverse effects on our business, reputation or results from governmental regulations; work stoppages or other labor issues at our facilities or those of our customers or others in our supply chain adversely affecting our business, results or financial condition; any increase in the expense of our pension and other postretirement benefits or the funding requirements of our pension plans reducing our profitability; 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.       

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SOURCE TRW Automotive Holdings Corp.