Abstract: Developing active and integrated safety systems for automobiles is a complicated and timeconsuming
activity. TNO (The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research) has created a new
methodology for design and assessment of active and integrated safety systems to make the development
process more effective and efficient. The main tools used within the method are PreScan, VeHIL and MADYMO.
The method is based on seamless integration of simulation tools and test facilities to convert real world accident
statistics and/or user requirements to a system design and, from there, to a prediction of real-world accident
rates and injury levels. Experimental results are used to validate the simulation model. The validated simulation
model is then used to design and test the system to predict the system’s real world effects, and to define the set
of experiment needed for final verification of the system. Concrete examples demonstrate how these tools can
together be applied in the development process of active and integrated safety systems.

Key words: automotive safety, active safety, integrated safety, development methodology, development tools, real-life safety