TRW Expands Adaptive Safety Options With New Rotary Seat Belt Pretensioner

LIVONIA, Mich., Aug. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (NYSE: TRW), the global leader in active and passive safety, has designed a new anchor seat belt pretensioner in a rotary configuration (known as the APR1) to further strengthen its product portfolio, especially for challenging packaging situations. 

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130821/DE67408) 

The APR1 features a lighter weight design and more compact packaging resulting in an easy integration for vehicle manufacturer interiors. There is no linkage element necessary and only the normal seat belt webbing will be visible in the vehicle cabin. It is designed to deliver pretensioning forces of more than 3 kN, which can help to remove some seat belt slack within milliseconds of a crash being detected .

When combined with TRW's full spectrum of occupant protection seat belt and airbag options, the APR1 helps form the basis of advanced adaptive occupant technologies designed to help manage occupant energy in an unavoidable crash scenario. For example it can be combined with TRW's Active Control Retractor system or Active Buckle lifter,  that help to remove some seatbelt slack before a crash occurs if a potential crash is detected by active vehicle sensors.

Norbert Kagerer, vice president Occupant Safety Systems engineering, TRW, said: "The APR1 design offers vehicle manufacturers a number of options and advantages compared with existing systems.

"We are seeing strong interest globally for APR1 due to its packaging, weight and performance attributes. The rotary design helps deliver enhanced pretensioning functionality and TRW is uniquely positioned to combine this technology with other occupant safety and active safety technologies to sense a crash and react to the unique characteristics of the crash."

The APR1 will launch on several European vehicle platforms in 2015.

About TRW

With 2012 sales of $16.4 billion, TRW Automotive ranks among the world's leading automotive suppliers. Headquartered in Livonia, Michigan, USA, the Company, through its subsidiaries, operates in 25 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, 2012 (our "Form 10-K") and our Reports on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarters ended March 29 and June 28, 2013, such as: any developments related to antitrust investigations adversely affecting our financial condition, results, cash flows or reputation; the loss of any of our largest customers or the loss of a significant amount of their business materially adversely affecting us; economic conditions adversely affecting our business, results or the viability of our supply base; the unsuccessful implementation of our current expansion efforts adversely impacting our business or results; any shortage of supplies causing a production disruption for any customers or us; strengthening of the U.S. dollar and other foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations impacting 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; commodity inflationary pressures adversely affecting our profitability or supply base; pricing pressures from our customers adversely affecting our profitability; 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 adverse effects on our business, reputation and results from governmental regulations; costs or liabilities relating to environmental, health and safety regulations adversely affecting our results; work stoppages or other labor issues at our facilities or at the facilities of our customers or those in our supply chain adversely affecting our business or results; any disruption in our information technology systems adversely impacting our business and operations; 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.