A REVOLUTIONARY new thermal imaging system developed by Malvern-based QinetiQ to improve car safety could hit the nation's roads in the next couple of years.

A small team of experts at the science and technology organisation, off Leigh Sinton Road in Malvern, has spent the last 18 months developing the "Funti" thermal imaging sensor, since a deal was signed with American company First Technology.

Now a prototype has been made of the camera - which improves airbag safety - and several big-name car manufacturers have expressed considerable interest.

The sensor, which is expected to be installed in cars by 2006, is designed to detect movement of passengers, how they are sitting in the car and whether they are an adult or child.

The information is then used to determine how the vehicle's airbags should be deployed in an accident.

It is anticipated it will enable car manufacturers to better comply with airbag regulations.

The sensor also picks up objects in the road ahead such as pedestrians or cyclists - in particular in poorly-lit rural areas.

"The reason you might want to detect internal movements of passengers is because if a child is close to the point at which the airbag deploys it could potentially break its neck," said QinetiQ spokesman, Ben White.

"The sensor will be able to tell how much the airbag needs to be inflated.

"Also, with objects on the outside of the car, there could potentially be some kind of warning for the driver or it could be linked to a system in the car that avoids a collision automatically."

Qinetiq - formerly part of the Defence, Evaluation and Research Agency - has been developing thermal imaging systems at Malvern for military vehicles since the 1970s.

Mr White said the latest sensor is a lower-resolution modification of the same technology - at a snip of the price.

Some of the military thermal imaging systems cost £100,000, while the Funti camera is expected to cost about £30.

"We have a long history of thermal imaging in Malvern and therefore it's something we're very good at," said Mr White.

Expensive

"The thing is with those kind of pieces of military kit, they're very high resolution and therefore incredibly expensive.

"If you're wanting to put that kind of equipment in a car it has to be significantly cheaper and this is what we're doing."