TRW Automotive, a global leader in automotive safety, is supplying rollover curtain or side impact airbags for more than 100 car, light truck and sport utility vehicles for the 2004 model year.

     “We continue to see increasing customer and consumer interest in rollover curtain and side impact airbag systems,” said Peter J. Lake, vice president, sales and business development for TRW Automotive.  “In the 2003 model year, 40 percent of all passenger vehicles offered head-protecting curtain or side airbags.  That number is expected to grow to 47 percent in 2004.  Curtain and side airbags are clearly becoming more widely available as technology advances to meet the unique challenges of rollover and side impact collisions, and TRW holds over 100 patents as we continue to develop and refine these systems.

     “In addition, recent research shows that more than three-quarters of consumer respondents said that rollover canopy or side impact airbags would be important or very important in their next vehicle purchase decision,” he said. “The demand for these vital safety features is most definitely on the rise.”

     TRW is a leading developer and the first supplier to introduce a safety canopy airbag system for the 2002 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer and in the 2003 Ford Expedition, Lincoln Navigator and the Explorer Sport Trac.  In 2004, TRW will supply additional Ford models as well as systems for BMW, DaimlerChrysler and General Motors.  These systems help to protect occupants in the event of side impacts or even vehicle rollovers.

     TRW’s rollover airbag systems employ innovative new bag sealing and cold-gas inflator technologies that enable them to deploy rapidly and remain inflated for a longer duration than traditional airbags.

     Working closely with the vehicle manufacturers, TRW has also developed a wide variety of airbag options for injury mitigation in a vehicle side impact. These include thorax, head and combined head/thorax air bag systems and new developments such as pelvic airbags, as well as electronic impact sensors.

     Currently, TRW supplies side impact airbags for front seating positions of vehicles such as the Mercedes Benz C Class, Lincoln Town Car, and a range of General Motors SUVs and vans including the Buick Rendezvous, Chevrolet Venture, Oldsmobile Silhouette and Pontiac Aztek.  These TRW systems were designed in conjunction with its customers to further enhance vehicle safety on models that are already among the safest on the road.  All have received five-star ratings in side impact crash tests for the North American or European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

About TRW

     TRW designs, develops and produces the widest and most comprehensive array of safety products in the industry, including active safety systems that help drivers avoid collisions, and passive safety systems that help protect vehicle occupants when an accident does occur.

     It is the world’s number one producer of automotive and commercial steering systems, foundation brake components and systems, seat belt systems, engine valves and valve train systems, and among the world leaders in brake control systems, airbag systems, safety electronics, body control systems, steering wheels, and engineered fasteners.

     As a full systems supplier and integrator, TRW Automotive can provide the engineering services and product development capability to produce everything from individual components to complete automotive systems.

     TRW operates a network of technical centers in all major global regions employing thousands of engineers, researchers, designers, and technicians. This global network creates the latest in automotive technologies while improving existing products and systems by using sophisticated and computer-simulation equipment.

     Engineering, sales, and production facilities span the globe to service customers in any region in which they operate and manufacture. At customers’ requests, TRW Automotive also continues to exploit world-leading competencies in areas such as Noise-Vibration-Harshness (NVH) for its braking and steering systems.

     In addition to ongoing continuous improvement programs and the sharing of best practices, TRW Automotive is training all employees in the methods and statistical techniques of Six Sigma to promote a common language for business improvement.

     TRW Automotive is a leading provider of automotive service, parts, technical support, and diagnostic support to vehicle manufacturers and independent aftermarket customers worldwide. TRW Automotive’s aftermarket global service network covers more than 10,000 customers in more than 120 countries.

     With sales of $10.6 billion in 2002, TRW Automotive ranks among the top 10 suppliers in the world. Headquartered in Livonia, Mich., the company employs approximately 63,000 people in 22 countries.  Its 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.

  TRW Automotive is one of the largest automotive suppliers in the world. TRW Automotive’s eight product lines are as follows; aftermarket, braking, chassis, commercial steering, electronics, engine components, engineered fasteners and occupant restraints.

     In facilities around the world, TRW technical staff partner with today’s vehicle manufacturers to design and manufacture advanced products, including:

     •Smart airbags that deploy to the driver’s height and weight

     •Active and passive seat belts, and child restraint seats.

     •Hydraulic and manual rack and pinion steering gears and systems.

     •Electrically-assisted steering systems and modules.

     •Valves, pistons, and other safety-critical engine components.

     •Central locking systems and other convenience electronics.

     •Switches and controls, such as power mirrors and HVAC units.

     •Fasteners that attach interior and exterior trim and wire harnesses.