VEHICLE HOOD HINGE ASSEMBLY

A hinge assembly is provided to lift a hood of a vehicle relative to a vehicle body in anticipation of, during, or right after a collision has occurred to cushion contact with a pedestrian. The hood selectively covers a compartment of the vehicle when in a secured position. The hinge assembly includes a hinge configured to guide the hood from the secured position to both of an open position or to a pedestrian deployment position relative to the vehicle body. An actuator moves the hood from the secured position to the pedestrian deployment position. A controller controls the actuator based at least in part on a characteristic of the pedestrian.