(Wed 14 Sep 05)

Jaguar has revealed its Pyrotechnic Pedestrian Deployable Bonnet System (PDBS) at Frankfurt. Over 120 man-years have been dedicated to developing the technology which will be available on the new XK.

In the event of a pedestrian impact, the deployable bonnet on the XK automatically pops up a few inches, to create a cushioning effect between the engine and the bonnet. This helps to isolate the pedestrian from hard parts in the engine compartment such as the engine itself and its ancillaries. The 18kg bonnet will lift in around 30 milliseconds, accelerating at about 50 times the force of gravity (50g).

In addition, bumpers with crushed foam and a plastic covering are designed to avoid leg injuries, while advanced sensors are mounted in the front bumper to help discriminate between a pedestrian impact and any other possible collisions.

Legislation in the European market requires manufacturers to commit to a two-phase introduction of a range of improvements on all new cars to improve pedestrian safety, and, according to Jaguar, the system meets Phase One of the legislation.

"I take technology development at our product development centres very seriously," says Jaguar Programmes Director Phil Hodgkinson, "and I am proud to be working with Jaguar engineers who can deliver this kind of safety system, which we believe to be a world first."

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